The race director of the Formula 1 of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Michael Masi, has recognized that cameras were not checked ‘on board’ of the Dutchman’s cars Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and the British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) after the incident between the two in the Brazilian Grand Prix, and admits that they could have been a test “absolutely irrefutable” to punish the first.
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“We did not have access to the cameras ‘on board’, only that the cameras that broadcast, which is basically what we have access to at all times,” he said in statements to Motorsport.com, confirming that 360º cameras they would only be seen after the race. “The 360 has all the camera angles that we don’t have live; they will be downloaded and viewed,” he added.
During lap 48 of Sunday’s race at Interlagos, Verstappen performed a dubious maneuver of not drawing turn 4 when Hamilton had overtaken him; the Dutchman went off the track and forced the Englishman to react to avoid contact. Career Directorate decided that no accident investigation was necessary and that of Red Bull was not sanctioned.
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Now, Masi admits that the ‘on board’ could have been a irrefutable evidence to sanction Verstappen. “They could be, absolutely. Possibly. But we didn’t have access to them. Once the commercial rights holder provides them to us, we’ll take a look at them,” he said.
However, he denied any inconsistencies with other similar recent decisions. “I do not agree that it is inconsistent. Let’s not forget it, we have general principles of ‘letting go’, And looking at it all, with all the angles that we had available, we adopted that philosophy, “he stressed.” None of them lost their position. For the benefit of all, we let them run, “he continued.
Despite that, he acknowledged that he considered showing the black and white warning flag to Verstappen for the incident. “It came to mind, and then I looked at it a few more times. To be honest, it wasn’t too far from a black and white flag for Max,” he finished.
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