Featured Image Credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Topics: Formula 1, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Motorsport, Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes
Ben McCrum
Topics: Formula 1, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Motorsport, Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes
A top FIA official left the Formula One governing body after making a controversial decision at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi will once again host a title-deciding Formula One season finale this weekend.
Heading into the race, three drivers remain in contention for the 2025 Drivers' Championship title, with current leader Lando Norris, reigning champion Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri all in with a chance.
Noris remains the heavy favourite as he maintains a 12 point lead on top of the championship table, but Abu Dhabi is no stranger to drama and a surprise title win from either Verstappen or Piastri remains possible.
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In one occasion, the dramatic finish to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was so controversial that it eventually led to a senior official within the FIA stepping down from his role shortly after.
As expected, there is perhaps no bigger drama in Formula One than a title-deciding race in the final weekend of the season.
The 1990 Japanese GP saw Ayrton Senna crash into Alain Prost at Turn 1, something he later admitted was intentional, while Michael Schumacher's controversial collision with Damon Hill when Hill tried to pass in the 1994 Australian Grand Prix is still debated to this day.
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Butt perhaps the most controversial was the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Verstappen won his maiden Drivers' Championship title, beating Lewis Hamilton in the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand prix after a fiercely debated decision from race director Michael Masi.
Following a late crash from Williams driver Nicolas Latifi, Verstappen decided to come into the pits and change to soft compound tyres in the hopes of a sprint finish.
And this is exactly what the Dutchman was given after the the safety car restart rules were incorrectly applied by Masi, who let the three lapped cars between the title rivals overtake Hamilton, moving Verstappen right up behind the Mercedes driver, who was using older tyres.
Not only this, but Masi also allowed the race to restart one lap before the regulations said he was supposed to in such a situation.
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Verstappen quickly overtook Hamilton, winning the race and his first title, while denying Hamilton of a record-setting eighth championship.
Just two months later, Masi was removed from his position as F1 race director following an investigation into his decisions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem confirmed that the Australian had been removed from his position and that an an new system of controlling and officiating F1 races would be introduced.
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The role of race director was later occupied by two alternating people, Niels Wittich, and Eduardo Freitas, who shared the role until Novermber 2024 when current Formula 1 Race Director is Rui Marques took over.
It was also decided that, after Masi appeared to struggle with the pressure of several live messages from Mercedes and Red Bull, that teams will no longer be able to send messages directly to the race director.
Meanwhile, Masi is currently the independent chairman of the board of directors for Karting Australia, and recently left the Supercars Commission in September this year.