BOF Posted January 28, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted January 28, 2022 FIA planning new F1 race-management structure after Abu Dhabi controversy I think we can safely assume Michael Masi will not be returning as race director for 2022. And I also think that will be enough to put any Hamilton retirement notions to bed. They're also putting a barrier between the teams and direct contact with the race director going forward. Quote FIA planning new F1 race-management structure after Abu Dhabi controversy Formula 1's governing body is planning a new race-management structure in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the problems at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. There is widespread acceptance across the sport that race director Michael Masi failed to follow the rules correctly during a late safety-car period in the title-deciding race. A support structure is being planned for the race director, insiders say. This is likely to include a barrier between that role and the teams to avoid the direct lobbying to which Masi was subjected from the team bosses of both Mercedes and Red Bull in Abu Dhabi. Revisions to the operations of the stewards - who are independent of the race director and decide on penalties for breaches of the rules - are also being considered. Removing Masi and finding a new race director is a recommendation some of the teams have made to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, BBC Sport has learned. Some senior insiders say they cannot see how Masi can credibly remain in his role into another season, arguing not only that Abu Dhabi fatally undermined his credibility, but that the errors he made there were merely the biggest and latest of a series over the course of the 2021 season and before. And high-level sources say that the most likely scenario is that a new race director will be installed for the 2022 season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 I always felt that the discussions between team bosses and race director during the race were unusual. He should be focussing on the race and not explaining himself to them, or leaving himself open to being lobbied. It clearly played a huge part in the mess in Abu Dhabi. No doubt Masi was extremely stressed at that moment and made poor judgement as a result. If he was free to think clearly / discuss with other race officials I don’t think he’d have acted in the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 28, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted January 28, 2022 10 minutes ago, Genie said: I always felt that the discussions between team bosses and race director during the race were unusual. He should be focussing on the race and not explaining himself to them, or leaving himself open to being lobbied. It clearly played a huge part in the mess in Abu Dhabi. No doubt Masi was extremely stressed at that moment and made poor judgement as a result. If he was free to think clearly / discuss with other race officials I don’t think he’d have acted in the same way. It's definitely wrong. Even Toto & Horner didn't originally like the fact those conversations were being broadcast to the fans. They had no problem that the conversations were allowed to happen. Just that they didn't want them heard. But the reality is they were uncomfortable because deep down they knew they shouldn't have been allowed to do it in the first place. Having a barrier there is absolutely the right decision. It doesn't in any way give Masi an excuse in my view though. He showed several times over the season, when under far less pressure, that he made poor decisions and dangerous decisions and showed himself completely incapable of fulfilling the role. Adding lobbying and pressure to an already out-of-his-depth person is a recipe for disaster, but it doesn't change that he was bad to begin with. The next thing they need to look at, and it says as much in that article, is the procedure around the race stewards and penalties. Consistency and hopefully better decision making, by maybe adding more than just the one ex-racer to the decision making process. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 28, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted January 28, 2022 Anyone thinking of checking out Indycar this season? The glut of talent in F2 that can't get into F1 means they're starting to spill over into other series' with Indycar being the obvious top tier series to benefit. Last season they obviously got Romain Grosjean over there, who ended up doing very well indeed. Enough to get himself into a top seat for 2022 (Andretti Autosport). This season they'll have the Brit Callum Ilott who can count himself unlucky that he missed out on F1 in 2021 after coming runner-up to Mick Schumacher in F2. Christian Lundgaard is also moving across the pond from F2. Serial series winner Kyle Kirkwood who I've been following since his days in the F3 American Championship (where he won 15 out of 17 races) makes the step up into Indycar. Unfortunately he got screwed out of a drive with Andretti who he won the Indy Lights series for last season and has to drive for the less competitive AJ Foyt along with the atrocious Tatiana Calderon, so his podium chances are limited. His drive at Andretti was given instead to ... Devlin DeFrancesco who Kyle walloped in Indy Lights. David Malukas was the only one who could even attempt (and fail) to hold a candle to Kirkwood in Lights, and he steps up too. I'm gonna give it a shot and see how it goes. As for the aforementioned Calderon. She must have the best agent in sport. Along with positive discrimination, she gets to stink up yet another racing series this season, thus setting back the progress of women racers for one more year. The sooner they get someone like Jamie Chadwick into the sport and get rid of the Calderons the better. The best thing for now is, the first race is in 30 days (27/02) instead of the 51 we have to wait for F1. So there's no reason not to. 5pm on a Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 28, 2022 Moderator Share Posted January 28, 2022 I think with Masi, it's obvious and right that he should go and it's good that they're looking at ways to compartmentalise race stewarding and the race director and very good that they're looking at putting a stop to the lobbying of the race director by the teams and their principals - but it misses out one very important group - there's more than a hint that Masi was lobbied throughout the season from above by those who wanted a drivers championship that was "entertaining". The people that run F1, those that sign the TV deals, those that allocate tracks for races, those that own the sport, should also be prevented from lobbying the race director and I think it's important that there's something in place that protects the race director and allows their decisions to be entirely based on the situations they view. Replacing Masi and stopping influence from 'below' doesn't catch the whole thing in my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 28, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted January 28, 2022 12 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: The people that run F1, those that sign the TV deals, those that allocate tracks for races, those that own the sport, should also be prevented from lobbying the race director and I think it's important that there's something in place that protects the race director and allows their decisions to be entirely based on the situations they view. 100% agreed and that was always my worry when an American company took over F1. Their sporting values are, shall we say, slightly different to the more traditional ones in Europe. It's more about the show. And the danger is that the remit of any race director to their employer will be to do what they can to keep it all 'interesting', artifically or not. But if the integrity of the sport continues to be compromised, as it so clearly was in Abu Dhabi, then they'll have damaged the sport, possibly irrevocably. But at least all of what is happening right now with the FIA involved is because they've acknowledged something needed to be done, and it looks like they're making changes so it doesn't happen again. That is progress. And so far Abu Dhabi was a one-off. Hopefully it remains that way and Mohammed ben Sulayem can put manners on Liberty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 16 hours ago, OutByEaster? said: I think with Masi, it's obvious and right that he should go and it's good that they're looking at ways to compartmentalise race stewarding and the race director and very good that they're looking at putting a stop to the lobbying of the race director by the teams and their principals - but it misses out one very important group - there's more than a hint that Masi was lobbied throughout the season from above by those who wanted a drivers championship that was "entertaining". The people that run F1, those that sign the TV deals, those that allocate tracks for races, those that own the sport, should also be prevented from lobbying the race director and I think it's important that there's something in place that protects the race director and allows their decisions to be entirely based on the situations they view. Replacing Masi and stopping influence from 'below' doesn't catch the whole thing in my opinion. Yes that should happen but do you think Liberty would even entertain the idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 3, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted February 3, 2022 Red Bull launching their car in 6 days (9th). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 3, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted February 3, 2022 F1’s plan for six sprint races dropped, three now the target Quote F1’s plan for six sprint races dropped, three now the target Formula 1’s plan to hold six sprint races this year has been dropped and a compromise to have three Saturday races is to be discussed instead. After a live trial with three Saturday sprint qualifying sessions last year, at Silverstone, Monza and Interlagos, F1 hoped to expand the format in 2022. The intention was to hold six sprints but it recently emerged that plan was under threat. McLaren boss Zak Brown criticised the actions of the biggest teams, which he claimed were blocking the sprints on cost grounds. F1 needs a larger majority of 28/30 votes to get its original proposal implemented for 2022. The Race understands that the three big teams are not in favour of it, so F1 cannot get the eight team votes it needs for the plan to be approved for this season. More in link... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 3, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted February 3, 2022 Haas launch tomorrow. Haas launch tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straggler Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 25 minutes ago, BOF said: Haas launch tomorrow. Haas launch tomorrow! I'm genuinely looking forward to this one. So interested to see where they are at after last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 (edited) Link Red Bull in “we quite like Michael Masi” shock. Quote Red Bull Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley says F1 Race Director Michael Masi is more than capable of filling the shoes of long-time predecessor Charlie Whiting, amid increasing calls for Masi to stand down following his controversial handling of last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. ——————— "I think Michael, with the right support, is more than capable of doing that. He's a really nice guy with no edge to him at all, and he listens and tries to do the very best that he can." I reckon Red Bull will hire him if he gets sacked. Edited February 4, 2022 by Genie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 4, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted February 4, 2022 Saw that yesterday. I think there's always an element of "give the public a positive message" to any of those. It's no skin off their nose to back someone in public. It may or may not have any bearing on what's said behind closed doors. I also don't doubt Masi would be better if given a more forgiving structure and some experience. It doesn't mean they can't find someone better though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield Dean Posted February 4, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted February 4, 2022 21 hours ago, BOF said: Haas launch tomorrow. Haas launch tomorrow! Oh, I was looking around for where/when this is happening, but it seems like it's just the livery they are unveiling? Not the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield Dean Posted February 4, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted February 4, 2022 In fact, it's on their Twitter feed now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield Dean Posted February 4, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted February 4, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 4, 2022 Author Moderator Share Posted February 4, 2022 1 minute ago, Lichfield Dean said: In fact, it's on their Twitter feed now Yeah the thinking is most of them won't give away much this year even more than normal, because of the rule changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 The FIA need to hurry up and decide what they are doing with Masi and the reporting structure otherwise it’s going go overshadow the start of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted February 4, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted February 4, 2022 I really think the new cars are going to look really really nice. I think the design changes, aesthetically, are really cool. Whether they work as intended aerodynamically we'll have to wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 11 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: I really think the new cars are going to look really really nice. I think the design changes, aesthetically, are really cool. Whether they work as intended aerodynamically we'll have to wait and see. I really hope so. My worry is that for as long as I can remember the aero changes to allow closer racing have always been a year or 2 away. They never quite materialise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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