Martin Brundle "would have kept Masi" and fears "more problems" with replacement system

Bahrain Grand Prix

Brundle "would have kept Masi" and fears "more problems" with replacement system

Masi was removed as the F1 race director after last year's Abu Dhabi controversy

Sam Hall

Saturday 19 March 2022 08:00 Updated: 09:07

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Martin Brundle has voiced his concern the FIA decision to replace race director Michael Masi with a new "complex" management structure will result in "more mistakes" this year.

Masi was removed from his position after the controversial Abu Dhabi championship decider last year in which Lewis Hamilton lost out on a record-breaking eighth world championship crown.

The FIA quickly took action to fix the problems for the new season but Brundle is far from certain the correct decisions have been made.

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"It's a shame because the right man is Michael Masi because before Abu Dhabi he had shadowed Charlie Whiting, he had done 50 grands prix," Brundle told Sky Sports F1.

"He needed a lot more support around him and perhaps, may I say, have not been on the stage so much and been more of the production crew if he were still around.

"I think we've got to be careful with what we wish for now with this. We've got a quite complex system that we're now starting up and I fear we're going to have more problems as we go through the races.

"The drivers really do need someone to look up to who they fear and revere in equal measure like Charlie Whiting and they'll go with him.

"Charlie made mistakes from time to time so it's such a shame that it became almost untenable to keep Michael.

"Personally, I would have kept him, weathered the storm and made it right, put the things right that ended up giving us that problem in Abu Dhabi."

Brundle "sorry" for fans

The events of the Yas Marina race left many fans angered and the FIA World Motor Sport Council is set to discuss its review of the race further on Saturday.

Asked if he had a message for the fans still with a bitter taste in the mouth, Brundle said: "Sorry, because it was controversial, it was confusing and it angered a lot of fans.

"Mistakes were made quite clearly and I believe they were genuine mistakes. A lot of people think it was fixed or showbusiness or whatever.

"I think in the heat of the moment, mistakes were made but I'm not sure we have got the right solution frankly."