February 14, (THEWILL) – Following a meeting of the F1 Commission, in which a number of other matters were resolved, the future of FIA Race Director Michael Masi remains uncertain.
The FIA felt compelled to intervene following the controversies at the Yas Marina Circuit, where Masi appeared to have failed in his responsibility to appropriately apply the laws, as well as being swayed by radio signals during the uproar.
After a late incident involving Williams driver, Nicholas Latifi, a safety car was deployed, and Masi made decisions that helped Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen, win his first Formula One title by passing Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, on the penultimate lap, denying the Briton an eighth title.
Following the uproar, Mercedes filed a protest, which was later rejected by the stewards, and while the team threatened to appeal, it chose to withdraw with the knowledge that significant adjustments would be made. The FIA is expected to provide an update on “structural changes” later this week, with the Race Director slated to be supported in a post with too many tasks to be controlled by one man.
“The FIA president [Mohammed Ben Sulyaem], led detailed discussions of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,” according to a joint F1/FIA statement.
“Feedback from the Commission on matters raised will be incorporated into the President’s analysis and he will publicly present news of structural changes and action plan in the coming days.”
The Formula One Commission has opted to only hold three sprint races this season, the same as last year, when the event was trialled, but only half as many as had been anticipated. This year’s hosts are Imola, Austria, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari had all lobbied for a budget cap rise to accommodate the additional number of sprints, an idea that pitted them against the remaining seven teams, Formula One, and the FIA.
The compromise is three races, with more conversations expected over the next year in the hopes of increasing to six next year.
However, there will be more points awarded, with the top eight now scoring instead of only the top three last year, with the winner receiving eight points down to one for eighth place.
It has also been decided that pole position will be granted to the driver who qualifies the fastest on Friday evening rather than the driver who finishes first in the sprint.
The joint statement went on to say: “Following a review of the three sprint events that took place in 2021 and a recognition by all that the format created positive benefits for the sport, three sprint events were proposed for 2022, acknowledging this as a sensible number in light of the pressures already on the teams for this season with the introduction of major changes to the regulations.
“The Commission unanimously approved the three sprint events for the coming season, incorporating a number of updates to the format based on the feedback of fans, media and teams.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
