Johnny Herbert gives verdict on Michael Masi removal ahead of new F1 season

Speaking to Betway, former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert has given his take on the removal of Michael Masi as FIA Race Director and says that it needed to be done as part of the sport’s reset after Abu Dhabi.

The end of the 2021 season will live long in the memory but perhaps not for the reasons it should as an enthralling F1 campaign came to a head in the most dramatic and controversial of circumstances.

Michael Masi opted to let just a handful of cars unlap themselves behind a late Safety Car before releasing the field for one final flying lap of racing, with Max Verstappen able to use his far fresher tyres to overtake Lewis Hamilton and win the world championship.

Contentious to say the very, very least and Masi has since been removed as Race Director and replaced for the coming F1 season, which starts in Bahrain this weekend.

And, speaking to Betway, Herbert has revealed that it was a decision that simply had to be taken by the FIA in his view:

“The decision to remove Masi is part of that reset F1 had to implement.

“The drivers’ trust in the race director had to be restored, that’s so important. That trust just didn’t exist and that isn’t a healthy place to be in going into each race.

“Bringing in two new race directors to alternate throughout the season makes sense to me.”

Formula 1’s new Race Directors are Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas with them both boasting top level motorsport experience in being in charge of DTM and WEC respectively.

They are set to alternate the role, with the assistance of the experienced Herbie Blash, and hopefully that will help alleviate some of the pressure that Masi undoubtedly felt at times last season.