“They’ve persuaded the race director”– Former F1 champion believes Red Bull “played rough” with Michael Masi

Former F1 champion Damon Hill believes Red Bull pushed the race director to have a dramatic racing end to the 2021 F1 championship finale.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the drivers’ championship after some controversial calls were made by the FIA. Many F1 members displayed their disappointment in Race Director Michael Masi’s inconsistent decisions across the year including in Abu Dhabi.

Including Damon Hill, who called out the governing body for the same. He thinks that Red Bull influenced Masi hard which evolved into unusual decisions.

Does anyone fancy changing jobs? F1 Race Director? I’d think about it at least twice. And then a couple more times. Masi has a massively difficult task. Not made easier by communications now being broadcast live globally. Maybe this needs a re-think? #f1

— Damon Hill (@HillF1) December 13, 2021

“I think these are new rules,” Hill told Sky Sports News. “I think it’s a new style of race directing, I think that Mercedes have struggled with the decisions that have been made.”

“Red Bull played rough, but they’ve persuaded the race director that cars should be allowed to race, and it should be a robust kind of formula, and they’ve prevailed.”

Also read: Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko drops a bombshell comment about his team’s future in Formula 1

The man from Red Bull won deservedly

Hill further commented that anyway Verstappen had an incredible year, and he fully deserves the F1 championship. He also reasons at the end of the day there had to be only one champion.

“You can’t have them both win, unfortunately,” he said. “I think Max has fought valiantly; I think the right man won – if there can be such a thing.

“I feel for Lewis, he’s fought with everything he’s had, and with Mercedes as well. But they’re up against a very formidable Red Bull team and driver.”

Mercedes got no success

After the race, Mercedes lodged two complaints against the final decision of the race. But the Silver Arrows found no success as FIA denied both complaints.

So, as for now, Verstappen legitimately stands as the official 2021 F1 world champion.

pic.twitter.com/uV83r7a2oZ

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 12, 2021

Also read: Lando Norris questions Michael Masi’s decision to allow lapped cars to overtake safety car during the last lap of the Abu Dhabi GP

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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