Michael Masi takes on first major motorsport role since Abu Dhabi 2021 fallout

SRO Motorsports Australia runs GT World Challenge Australia as part of its Shannons SpeedSeries network of categories. Masi will be in charge of the rules and regulations, oversee race officials including the stewards, and align SRO Motorsports Australia with implementing the wider SRO Global processes, procedures and best practices.

As part of his handover, Masi will attend the final two rounds of the 2026 season in Sydney and Adelaide. He takes over from Abi Hay, who will return to Europe to focus on her position as series manager of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, SRO manufacturer relations manager, and SRO GT Academy manager.

Reacting to his appointment, Masi said: "This is an extremely exciting opportunity to be part of the next chapter for SRO Motorsports Australia, and I'm looking forward to continuing the great work that has already been done by the team and particularly Abi [Hay]."

He added: "GT racing in Australia has been on a steady rise, and I'm confident there is plenty of opportunity to continue building on the strong foundations that have already been established."

SRO Motorsports Australia CEO Ben McMellan described the appointment as "a fantastic coup," adding that Masi "brings an enormous amount of experience from decades spent at the top positions of motorsport" and expressing confidence that his expertise would "help take GT racing in Australia to the next level."

Masi served as F1 race director for three seasons after succeeding the late Charlie Whiting in 2019 and notably presided over the controversial 2021 title-decider in Abu Dhabi, where Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the crown. The fallout from Masi's decision-making, that influenced the outcome of the title race, led to his removal from the role in early 2022.

The FIA's investigation eventually found that "human error" was to blame for the incorrect application of the safety car period. Masi left the FIA in July 2022, relocating to Australia to be closer to his family.

He most recently worked in a New Zealand-based open wheel racing series and was the independent chairman of the Supercars Commission from 2022 until 2025, and continues to serve as deputy chair of Karting Australia and a board member of the South Australian Motor Sport Board.

The SRO appointment places Masi back in a senior sporting position, overseeing officials and enforcing regulations, nearly five years after the Abu Dhabi decisions that reshaped his career.