Michael Masi, ex Formula 1 race director, is reportedly engaged with FIA for a new position.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA president, reveals the details regarding engagement with the axed race director.
Recently, FIA published the investigative report into Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy. The report attributed the controversial decision as “human error”.
Masi failed to enact two articles of sporting regulations during decision making. But the report claims “good faith” in the controversial decision.
Following the incident, the authorities reshaped FIA process and introduced two race directors with a bigger and supportive team.
In February, the FIA announced annexation of Masi as race director. However, reports claims new position for him.
Ben Sulayem claimed that the decision was made “take the pressure and stress from him”.
“We are grateful for the three years he invested with us. And he put his time in,” Ben Sulayem said.
“But now we are negotiating with him of course to stay in the FIA. He is an important figure to us. Our people are negotiating another place for him within the FIA.
“Now we want to move on, that we finished with the race in Abu Dhabi, the analysis. Now we have a new race in Bahrain, it’s the beginning of 2022.”
Ben Sulayem showed content with the publication of report on ABu Dhabi controversy.
“A director cannot be one director,” Ben Sulayem said. “That’s the reason we brought some of our staff back like Herbie [Blash], for example, to support the race director.
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“On top of that, we have to do rotations also, not just one. If you talk about 23 races, human fatigue is there, you’re talking about travels. This is also a solution.”
Ben Sulayem also shared the plans to formulate a new virtual control room to support the decision makers.
“The idea came to me in January when I made a visit to some of the Formula 1 teams, and went to one of the launches,” Ben Sulayem said.
“I said, ‘what’s that, it looks like a theatre!’ and they said this is actually race control, but virtual. I said, ‘why don’t we have one?’ I said ‘do we have one?’ and they said no.
“So now we invested in it, and it’s actually working since yesterday. We didn’t promise and not deliver. We are delivering.
