Michael Fausto Masi (born 8 June 1978) is an Australian motorsports official. Masi served as Formula One race director from 2019 to 2021. In this role, Masi oversaw the logistics of a Formula One racing weekend, ensuring all cars, tracks, and drivers conform to FIA regulations before, during, and after a race.[1] Masi was removed from his position following an FIA analysis into his failure to correctly follow the safety car restart procedure at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Michael Masi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 June 1978 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Years active | 2019–2022 |
| Known for | FIA race director |
| Predecessor | Charlie Whiting |
| Successor | Niels Wittich, Eduardo Freitas |
Early life
Masi was born in Sydney in 1978 and is of Italian descent. Growing up in the suburbs of Fairfield and Canada Bay, and attended Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield. Masi initially studied marketing at TAFE before his roles in motorsport.[2]
Career
Early career
Masi began his career in motor racing volunteering for Super Touring teams while still at school. He worked as deputy race director in the Supercars touring car racing series[3] and at Rally Australia.[4] In 2018, he was appointed by the FIA as the Formula 2 and Formula 3 deputy race director, and was appointed deputy to F1 race director Charlie Whiting.[5][2] Masi alternated in this role between Grands Prix with Scot Elkins, who would become the race director for Formula E and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.[6]
Formula One
Following Whiting's death before the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, Masi took on the role of Formula One race director.[7]
Several of Masi's decisions as race director were subject to scrutiny from drivers, teams, and press. During the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix qualifying session, cars were sent out on track while a crane was still on the track.[8] During the 2021 season, Masi was required to defend the red flag procedures used during the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.[9][10] In the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, Masi was criticised for running qualifying in dangerous conditions, and then running the race behind the safety car for three laps, allegedly to ensure points were awarded.[11][12] He was criticized for negotiating with teams to change positions during the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.[13] The following week, Masi's failure to correctly apply the re-start rules in the resumption of the race following a safety car period during the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was criticised for potentially altering championship results. Mercedes protested the result; the protest was not upheld.[14]
On 17 February 2022, Masi was removed from his role as Race Director following an FIA analysis into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[15][16] He was replaced by Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas as race directors on an alternating basis for the 2022 Formula One season, and Herbie Blash as Permanent Senior Advisor to them.[17] A new position within the FIA was offered to Masi.[18]
On 19 March 2022, the FIA published their official report into the Abu Dhabi controversy, concluding that Masi had incorrectly applied regulations, in that not all lapped cars had unlapped themselves, and the safety car had not completed one additional lap before coming back into the pitlane. The report attributed these matters to human error.[19]
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff subsequently referred to Masi as having been a "liability" to Formula One and stated that Masi did not take well to receiving feedback or criticism from anybody, as well as suggesting that he had acted disrespectfully at times towards some drivers in briefings.[20]
Post-Formula One
In July 2022, Masi left the FIA in order to return to Australia and spend more time with his family.[21][22] In September, Masi was appointed the independent Chairman of the Supercars Commission in Australia.[23] He was appointed to the board of directors of Karting Australia in December.[24] Due to the abuse and death threats he received after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the exhaustion of travelling to different countries as race director, Masi sought help with his mental health.[25]
During the 2023 Formula One Australian Grand Prix, Masi sought to meet with Hamilton in an effort to explain his decisions during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hamilton chose not to meet Masi, saying there was "nothing to say".[26]
References
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