Steiner has ‘full confidence’ in FIA to resolve Abu Dhabi F1 fallout

The FIA has been undertaking a full investigation into the decisions taken by race director Michael Masi and race control in the closing stages of December’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which ended in a last-lap pass by Max Verstappen on Lewis Hamilton to clinch the title.

Masi failed to enforce at least two articles of the sporting regulations with the restart, leading to questions about his future and a potential restructuring of the FIA’s F1 team moving forward.

Newly-elected FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has met with teams to discuss what happened in Abu Dhabi and potential resolutions as part of the investigation, and discussions are set to continue in the coming weeks before any changes are finalised on the eve of the new season.

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Speaking on Friday at his team's livery launch, Haas team boss Steiner was reluctant to get into details about talks with the FIA over Masi’s future and a possible restructuring of the FIA’s F1 operations, but expressed confidence in its investigation.

“I didn’t give a lot of recommendations to President Mohammed,” Steiner said.

“We talked about it, and I think there are private talks, and I don’t want to go there.

“I know they are diligently working on it, to make it - I wouldn’t say better, which is the wrong word - to make it mainly better for whoever is race director.

“It’s a very difficult job, and I’m not here to protect Michael or anything. It is very difficult. I think the sport has grown so much, and some of the things have stayed behind.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

“I’m sure they will come up with some ideas when we are presented them, and then we’ll see what they are