Martin Brundle blasts "hugely unacceptable" Abu Dhabi GP after leaked Michael Masi audio

Martin Brundle has blasted the leaked Michael Masi audio from the Abu Dhabi GP as "hugely unacceptable".

In the clip, which was made available by F1 in December, but only began to circulate on social media this week, Masi appears to deliver exactly what Red Bull were asking for in the closing stages of the controversial title-deciding race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

"Obviously those lapped cars, you don't need to let them go right the way around and catch up the back of the pack," Red Bull’s sporting director Jonathan Wheatley could be heard saying.

Masi simply replied with: "Understood."

Wheatley then added: "You need to let them go."

To which Masi responded: "Understood, just give me a second."

Before Wheatley ended: "And then we've got a motor race on our hands."

It is widely accepted that Masi did not apply the rules correctly in that particular scenario and had a direct hand in deciding who would win the F1 championship.

A huge backlash ensued on social media after the conversation began to circulate and Brundle has described what he heard as "hugely unacceptable".

It proved pivotal as Max Verstappen ultimately stormed to victory in the desert when he had appeared to be out of the contest.

And the Red Bull driver’s triumph meant he won his maiden F1 title as Lewis Hamilton was denied a record eighth championship courtesy of Masi’s controversial decision.

“It's not new news, and also I think you have to understand that it's not necessarily telling Michael Masi something he didn't already know,” Brundle told Sky Sports.

“Let's not assume it's giving Masi information he didn't already know in terms of what he could and couldn't do in terms of the lapped pack.

“Of course it's really uncomfortable, and a lot of