F1 News

'Hamilton astonished and Wolff furious over possible return of Masi'

'Hamilton astonished and Wolff furious over possible return of Masi'

16-05-2022 11:48 Last update: 14:44
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GPblog.com

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem indicated that he was not ruling out the possibility of former race director Michael Masi returning to Formula One race control. Reportedly to the great displeasure of the Mercedes team.

Sulayem previously indicated that he did not rule out a return of the Australian to the race management. The race director still single-handedly had final responsibility at the races until 2021, and Masi was also in charge of safety during the race weekends. The same Sulayem who removed Masi from service now thinks there should be a place for the Australian again.

Mercedes camp not happy with return of Masi

Dailymail.com has heard rumors from insiders that this announcement has gone down the wrong path with Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton was reportedly astonished by the FIA president's statements. Team boss Toto Wolff was furious when he heard it. The medium further reported that prominent members of the team had emergency consultations over the phone. However, an insider said that Sulayem does not want to start an argument, but that he merely wants to reinstate the FIA.

Mercedes' criticism of Masi's return has everything to do with the race director's performance at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In the eyes of Mercedes, the Australian made a gross error that caused Hamilton not to win the title. At the same time, another dispute is ongoing between Hamilton and the FIA. Indeed, the Briton refuses to comply with the rules on piercings and jewelry cited by the FIA.