The fallout from the dramatic Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi has continued, with the sport considering a rule change that would prevent team bosses from speaking to the race director during a Grand Prix.
Australian race director, Michael Masi, came under immense pressure both during and immediately after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after his crucial call in the final laps, with Mercedes claiming the proper processes weren’t followed, allowing Max Verstappen to pass Lewis Hamilton for the win.
Mercedes protested the result immediately after the finish on Monday morning (AEDT).
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After Williams driver Nicholas Latifi crashed, Masi initially prevented lapped cars from passing the safety car, giving Hamilton a buffer to Verstappen for the final-lap shootout.
The directive was then changed to allow the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves.
In the midst of all the chaos unfolding on the track, Masi was heard copping an earful from both Christian Horner of Red Bull and Toto Wolff of Mercedes.
Horner could be heard pressuring Masi into restarting the race, while Wolff fumed at the restart.
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It is a situation that F1 managing director Ross Brawn does not want to see repeated in future races.
“We will stop this contact next year,” he said.
“It’s unacceptable that team bosses put Michael under such pressure during the race. It’s like the coaches negotiating with the referee in football.
“Toto can’t demand there shouldn’t be a Safety Car and Christian can’t demand the cars have to un-lap. That’s at the discretion of the race director.”
Brawn’s view echoed that of former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg, who wasn’t impressed with the pressure put on Masi by both team bosses down the stretch.
“Here Christian’s coming on the radio to the referee saying ‘we need one more lap of racing’ that’s not ideal. We need to get rid of that for next year,” he said after the race.
“Maybe they shouldn’t even be speaking to the referee at all. It doesn’t happen in football. You can’t have the manager calling the referee.
“There needs to be a proper framework where we keep things understood.”