The FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced that Formula 1 race director Michael Masi has been replaced for the 2022 season. He will be offered a new position within the FIA. Masi will no longer continue in his role following the outcome of the investigation into the events of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With Masi's exit, the FIA President also announced a new race director structure that will be implemented from the pre-season F1 test at Barcelona. He said that the FIA will alternate between using WEC race director Eduardo Freitas and former DTM race director Niels Wittich as race directors, assisted by former FIA deputy race director Herbie Blash, who has been appointed as a permanent senior advisor.
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In his statement, President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said, "Michael Masi, who accomplished a very challenging job for three years as F1 race director following Charlie Whiting will be offered a new position within the FIA."
Outlining the changes he said, "Firstly, to assist the race director in the decision-making process, a Virtual Race Control Room will be created.
The new race director structure will include a new race control system to help them make an informed decision
"Like the Video Assistance Referee, VAR, in football, it will be positioned in one of the FIA offices as a backup outside the circuit. In real-time connection with the FIA F1 race director, it will help to apply the sporting regulations using the most modern technological tools. Thirdly, unlapping procedures behind safety car will be reassessed by the F1 Sporting Advisory Committee and presented to the next F1 Commission prior to the start of the season."
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FIA President Sulayem announced the changes which had been agreed upon unanimously by the F1 Commission. Apart from replacing the race director, the FIA also announced plans to introduce a new virtual race control system. The race control will have remote assistance from an off-site FIA facility and will help the race director make an informed decision. The offsite is likely to be based in Geneva and could be identical to the VAR system in football.
In addition to this, FIA has banned direct team communications to the race director. Moreover, direct radio communications during the race currently broadcast live will be removed in order to "protect the race director from any pressure and allow him to take decisions peacefully," the President added. It will still be possible to ask questions to the race director according to a "well-defined and non-intrusive process."
