“Charlie Whiting grew up with Formula 1″ – Michael Masi has received strong backing from former F1 personalities amid backlash for the controversy-laden season finale at Abu Dhabi.
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will go down in F1 history as one of the most-talked-about race, all thanks to the way it finished, with Max Verstappen grabbing the race lead and world title from Lewis Hamilton in the penultimate lap.
FIA Race Director played a crucial part in the change-of-guard, allowing five drivers between then-race leader Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves during the safety car period.
This decision by the Aussie was heavily criticised mostly by Mercedes and Hamilton sympathisers, but has now received strong support from former driver Gerhard Berger.
“He takes a pragmatic approach and tries to find solutions, but I don’t think he does anything that isn’t allowed.
“And he decided differently, not to help anyone but to give the fans one last round in sporting terms to finish the fight.
“[He] handled the situation well, even if it meant bad luck for one side. For the fan, it’s the right thing to do and he’s allowed to do it.”
Michael Masi doing a good job as Charlie Whiting’s successor
Former Mercedes executive Norbert Haug also joined in the praise, lauding Masi for tactfully handling various situations of a tense season. He feels Masi is doing a good job after Whiting, who is arguably the epitome of race stewardship.
“I think this solution is quite fair.
“‘I will offer you to do that or you will force me to pass it on to the stewards. The stewards will then decide five or 10 seconds [time penalty], but this way you have the opportunity to start again behind Hamilton’.
“And I think that’s not trading but an extremely clever move.
“Anyone who follows in Charlie Whiting’s footsteps, no matter what his name is, has a hard time.
“Charlie Whiting grew up with Formula 1, with Bernie Ecclestone. First as a mechanic, then as chief mechanic. He was a great talent, a paragon of calm, poise and balance.
“He [Masi] did quite well for that. I have never worked with him personally, but I was impressed by the cleverness and the many decisions he made.”
