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“There is too much pressure on his shoulders”: Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko wants new FIA President to help under fire Race Director Michael Masi

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"There is too much pressure on his shoulders": Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko wants new FIA President to help under fire Race Director Michael Masi

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko asks the new FIA President to develop solutions that’ll help race director Michael Masi next season.

The 2021 F1 season has been one of the best in recent history. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s colossal fight for the World Title will surely go down in history as one of the greatest rivalries this sport has ever seen.

However, in addition to the racing on the track, this season hasn’t been devoid of drama off it. In particular, F1’s race director Michael Masi found himself in hot water with several team bosses over allegations of making inconsistent decisions.

His controversial decision making during the last few laps of the season finale in Abu Dhabi took the world of sports by storm. Several current and former F1 drivers have criticized Masi for his inconsistency, and only a handful have defended him.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has sympathized with the Aussie race official. After Mohammed Ben Sulayem was sworn in as the new FIA president, Marko called for the Emirati to ease Masi’s situation.

“The new FIA president will have to come up with a new system that will help Masi. Because he can’t do it alone.” said Marko.

Also read: Red Bull team boss visited Mercedes’ headquarter after the conclusion of Abu Dhabi GP

The rules of the sport have to be simplified, says the Red Bull Chief

Mercedes and Red Bull fiercely fought over verdicts handed out by race control all season long. Whenever they were involved in an on-field scrap, the matter escalated off it. On top of that, neither team seemed happy with what the stewards decided.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff recently admitted that Team Principals shouldn’t speak to Masi mid-race. Marko becomes the latest person to second that thought.

“At the moment there is too much pressure on his shoulders. I think that team managers and team bosses should no longer be able to speak to Masi. Through a direct line during a race.” the 78-year-old continued.

“In addition, the rules need to be simplified. Too many decisions have been made that have displeased either us or Mercedes. There needs to be more uniformity in the judgements.”

Also read: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits that he and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner overstepped the line while talking to Michael Masi mid-race

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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