Following the investigation into the Abu Dhabi final, no official decision has yet been taken by the FIA. However, a few ideas are being updated.
As a reminder, a investigation was opened by the public prosecutor’s office SON in order to clarify the controversial situation which frames the final of the struggle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at Abu Dhabi, on December 12. This case aims to understand the mistakes made to modify the sporting regulations and optimize the hierarchy that makes up the International Federation of Automobiles, particularly in race direction, so as not to repeat this kind of disappointment.
On January 29, the SON published a Press release. This aims to explain thatno decision has been made for the moment :
At this time, no decision has been taken on the conclusion of the ongoing detailed analysis of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. As previously announced, the findings of this investigation will be presented to the F1 Commission in London (Great Britain) on February 14, after an open discussion between all F1 drivers. These conclusions will then have to be approved by the World Council on March 18 in Bahrain, under the authority of the President of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. ”
FIA Statement # F1 pic.twitter.com/smCqXQy7jz
– FIA (@fia) January 29, 2022
The rumor duty Michael Masi to be removed from office at the head of the race direction swells more and more. It could be a decision purely Politics, when we know that Mercedes pushes hard not to see the Australian again at this post. Nothing is official yet, but several alternatives have already been discussed, 4 weeks before the first tests of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Firstly, it is a question of maintaining a certain political distance between the teams and the race management. The recent debates and exchanges between the team managers and the head of the race did not please the new director of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The latter makes it a point of honor to clarify the situation. The solution of create a new video analysis cell, like the VAR in the world of football would be on the list. This proposal would make it possible to gauge crisis situations away from the circuits and without insistence from external players such as the teams. It would also relieve the race director who now manages too many missions.
This is the observation made during this year. Michael Masi was promoted to head of the race direction in addition to managing the FIA single-seater department. A colossal work for a single man immersed as a major player in the fight for the world title between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The FIA would therefore have considered changing this discourse by employing three race directors to delegate responsibilities between three thinking heads. Each could therefore complete the work of the other in addition to thinking to issue the fairest and most impartial decision possible in a given time, when necessary.
At the moment, each of these speculations boils down to simple rumors. No decision has been made. But time is running out, 4 weeks from the first tests and less than two months from the first Grand Prix of the 2022 Formula 1 season. Reply on February 14, the date chosen by the FIA to answer all these questions.
Photo : Icon Sport
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