Red Bull call on new FIA president to give help to under-pressure Michael Masi

Red Bull - FIA

Red Bull call on new FIA president to give help to under-pressure Masi

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been urged to step in

Ian Parkes

Monday 20 December 2021 12:44

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Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has called on new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to recruit help for under-pressure race director Michael Masi ahead of the next F1 season.

Masi found himself in the firing line over his decision-making and handling of certain events throughout the 2021 campaign, most notably in the final few races.

Particularly in the spotlight were his calls over the closing laps of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which played a significant role in Max Verstappen becoming champion ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

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With Ben Sulayem voted in on Friday as successor to Jean Todt, Marko told Gazzetta dello Sport: "The new FIA president will have to come up with a new system that will help Masi, because he can't do it alone.

"At the moment there is too much pressure on his shoulders. I think, for example, that team managers and team bosses should no longer be able to speak to Masi through a direct line during a race.

"In addition, the rules need to be simplified. Too many decisions have been made that have displeased either us or Mercedes. There needs to be more uniformity in the judgements."

Red Bull hail Mercedes' "grand gesture"

Marko has at least expressed his gratitude towards Mercedes for deciding not to pursue its appeal of a stewards' decision that rejected a protest of Verstappen's win at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Mercedes was incensed with Masi's calls for initially deciding not to allow lapped cars through behind a safety car sent out following Nicholas Latifi's crash in his Williams.

Minutes later, Masi changed his mind and only allowed through cars between leader Hamilton and Verstappen, while three others behind the Dutch driver remained in place.

Mercedes decided just eight hours before the conclusion of a deadline not to press ahead with an appeal.

Marko added: "I can only say that this was a grand gesture by Mercedes.

"Hamilton has definitely been unlucky, but so were we at Silverstone, in Budapest and in Baku. This is how races can go, but I understand the disappointment."