FIA distances itself from Mercedes and Red Bull "games" after latest row

Verstappen and Hamilton clashed again in Italy

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Monday 13 September 2021 18:15

FIA race director Michael Masi has distanced himself from Mercedes and Red Bull's "games" after another dramatic collision between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen clouted the inside sausage kerb at the Rettifilo in attempting to overtake his title rival, launching him on top of the Mercedes and sending both into retirement.

The Dutchman was deemed "predominantly to blame", as Hamilton had been when the two collided at Silverstone, but with multiple instances of Verstappen allegedly forcing the Mercedes off track, Toto Wolff called the move a "tactical foul".

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The Mercedes team principal also warned against a pattern of escalation but Masi insisted crashes would continue to be looked at in isolation.

"I think from the FIA perspective, together with the stewards, we look at each and every incident on its merit, regardless if it is Lewis, if it is Max, if it is whoever," said Masi.

"I think the pattern of escalation is a perception for some depending on which person you are looking at supporting.

"I think if you asked Christian [Horner] you would get a completely different perspective on it.

"From that one, I am not going to get into the games. We have had a very close exciting championship between two fantastic drivers and that is the part we should all be focusing on."

FIA didn't have issue with Hamilton reversing under Verstappen

After both cars came to rest in the gravel, Hamilton was seen to be attempting to recover his car from underneath the Red Bull and reverse out of the gravel.

Asked if there was any direction from the FIA not to do so, Masi replied: "No not at all. Didn't try to stop them whatsoever.

"The team, as all those teams do, would have done it in a very safe manner.

"From the perspective we had with the CCTV, I couldn't see Lewis moving anywhere, as in the car moving out just from the angles and that, but fair credit for trying."