FORMULA 1 race director Michael Masi ‘buckled under pressure’ from team principals at the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, according to former world champion Damon Hill. In the final race of the 2021 season, Masi made the dramatic decision in the closing stages of the Grand Prix to allow lapped cars to unlap themselves before the safety car came in. “I don’t need to defend Michael Masi, but we were at the end of 39 Grands Prix in 17 months, a lot of them at new venues. “I think he was swayed by the calls from Christian Horner saying ‘you’ve got to unlap these cars’. “I think he buckled under the pressure from both teams who were on the radio.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•