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“We can’t forget he had to fill Charlie Whiting’s shoes”: Sergio Perez and Red Bull don’t want the FIA to sack Michael Masi based on just the call he made in Abu Dhabi

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"His car is not in an ideal condition, it is a bit damaged": Red Bull advisor admits that Sergio Perez crashing on Friday has left the entire team very worried

Sergio Perez and Red Bull call for the FIA to not remove Michael Masi from his position as Formula 1 Race Director. 

Masi’s position in F1 has been under fire ever since the infamous 2021 season finale. Lewis Hamilton looked set to win his eighth Title before a late safety car followed by Masi’s controversial decision making took it away from him.

He asked all the lapped cars in front of Max Verstappen to pass the safety car, leaving Hamilton defenseless against the Red Bull driver’s faster and fresher tyres. Then, right before the final lap, Masi restarted the race and Verstappen comfortably passed the Brit to win his first Championship.

Mercedes and Hamilton were furious with how things unfolded in Abu Dhabi that evening. Plenty of other drivers and figures in the sport, called for more clarity in terms of rule making. Above everything, it seemed that Masi’s days in F1 as Race Director were numbered after the amount of backlash he received.

Earlier this week, F1 teams and the officials of FIA met up to discuss a plan of action in terms of rules for the 2022 season.

Also read: Max Verstappen suggests Lewis Hamilton to move on from Abu Dhabi heartbreak

Red Bull feel that Michael Masi did a good job considering the bigger picture

While we don’t know about Masi’s departure for sure, it has been widely speculated that the Aussie will be sent packing. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and advisor Helmut Marko don’t want this to happen.

Perez and Marko feel that the 44-year old did a good job throughout the season. They don’t think he should be sacked based on just one ‘questionable’ call that didn’t favor the Mercedes team.

“People are very serious about it. But I think we should continue to support Michael. He’s done a great job. We can’t forget he had to fill Charlie Whiting’s shoes,” Perez said. Marko meanwhile, took a different approach to explain his point of view.

“The primary purpose of the investigation is to clarify that Masi was simply overwhelmed in that situation. And that the team bosses cannot continue to interfere with race management over the radio,” the 78-year old said.

“Everything should be clearer. I think the FIA will try to relieve the race management a little more,” he added.

Also read: Christian Horner claims this F1 change will not allow Red Bull to set new pitstop records

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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