Formula 1 race director, Australia’s Michael Masi, could be moved sideways in an attempt to placate Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton over the controversial finish to the 2021 season.
Max Verstappen was crowned the champion after passing Hamilton on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after Masi restarted the race in contravention of Article 48.12 of the Sporting Regulations.
Had the rules been properly applied, the race would have finished behind the safety car and Hamilton would have won a record eighth world title.
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Hamilton has threatened to quit the sport unless meaningful change is made to the way Formula 1 is run, with many interpreting that threat as a demand for a new race director to be appointed.
Masi has held the role since succeeding Charlie Whiting, who died suddenly while in Melbourne for the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.
The F1 commission met overnight, where the teams were given an update on the FIA’s inquiry into the Abu Dhabi race.
They were told the investigation is still ongoing, with an announcement expected later this week on changes to the race control structure.
“Feedback from the commission on matters raised will be incorporated into the president’s analysis and he will publicly present news of structural changes and an action plan in the coming days,” the FIA said.
According to Sky Sports F1 reporter Craig Slater, that spells bad news for Masi.
“Structural changes would suggest a change in personnel, potentially with regard to the race director,” Slater said.
“Is it now set for Michael Masi perhaps to move position within the FIA? There have been significant suggestions from insiders I’ve spoken to that he might take on a safety role and that perhaps other individuals will look after the race direction itself.
“If that were confirmed in the coming days, that would be the material change that perhaps Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton were looking for, for them to feel comfortable about embarking on this 2022 campaign.”
At last week’s launch of McLaren’s car for the 2022 season, drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris both said they supported Masi’s retention as race director.
Two other matters were resolved, with the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix debacle prompting an overhaul of rules for rain-hit races.
The race at Spa-Francorchamps in August turned into a farce, when drivers could only complete a handful of laps behind the safety car in appalling conditions.
Verstappen was declared the winner of the shortest F1 race in history, with half points awarded.
Under the revised rules, no points will be awarded unless two laps are completed at racing speed. Under those rules, no points would have been awarded in Belgium.
If less than 25 per cent of the race is completed, only the top five will receive points, with the winner to receive six points, instead of the 12.5 given to Verstappen.
If between 25 and 50 per cent of the race is run, the top nine will receive points, with 13 awarded to the winner, and if between 50 and 75 per cent of laps are completed, the top 10 will be awarded points, with first place worth 19 points.
The other change that was confirmed surrounded the number of sprint races for 2022, with the planned six races reduced to three. The Emilia Romagna, Austrian and Brazilian GPs will feature the sprint races, with points awarded to the top eight finishes, up from the first three places last year.
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