FIA decided to replace the race director Michael Masi with two race directors and Toto Wolff thinks that these are the right steps.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff thinks that the changes announced by the FIA are the right steps going forward. Following the Abu Dhabi controversy, the FIA decided to remove race director Michael Masi from his position.
FIA president Mohammed Bin Sulayem reveal that Masi will be given a new role with the FIA. Masi will be replaced by two race directors – Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas – who will be alternating roles throughout the 23-races.
The new race directors will also have support from a permanent advisor Herbie Blash. Furthermore, the FIA has also introduced a ‘Virtual Race Control Room’.
Similar to football’s ‘Video Assistant Referee’ technology, the ‘Virtual Race Control Room’ will provide detailed assistance to the race directors. It will help the directors to make clearer decisions and abide by the rules.
At the launch of the Mercedes’ W13, Wolff revealed that he supports the decisions taken. He said, “I think it’s very encouraging to see that action has been taken. There’s a much more robust structure now and a support structure for the Race Director.”
“The FIA has stated that there will be a virtual Race Control Room [with] state-of-the-art technology. And now we shall be going [with] the new guys [Freitas and Wittich] in place for the Barcelona test. And I think [they’re] the right steps.”
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Toto Wolff wants to move on and focus on the future
The entire Mercedes team has moved on from the 2021 controversy that lost them the drivers’ title. The Brackley-based team is now focusing on the 2022 championship. They are now focusing on adding more to their eight successive Constructors’ titles.
“There is no such thing as really coming back to full energy, but it’s OK. We’re looking forward to race; it’s what we love to do,” Wolff said when asked if he feels refreshed after the short winter break.”
“It feels a little bit surreal that, as a team, we were able to achieve that [Constructors’ title] eight times in a row. Obviously, there was this shadow with the Drivers’ Championship, with Lewis’ championship, [with] the Abu Dhabi situation, but let’s look into the future.”
“Definitely, we want to continue where we started, but we have no sense of entitlement.”
