Michael Masi | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1978-06-08)8 June 1978 (age 47) Sydney, Australia |
| Years active | 2019–2022 |
| Known for | FIA race director |
| Predecessor | Charlie Whiting |
| Successor | Niels Wittich,Eduardo Freitas |
Michael Fausto Masi (born 8 June 1978[citation needed]) is a retired Australian motorsports official. Masi served as Formula Onerace director from 2019 to 2021. In this role, Masi oversaw the logistics of aFormula One race weekend, ensuring all cars, tracks, and drivers conform to FIA regulations before, during, and after a race.[1] Masi was removed from his position following anFIA analysis into his failure to correctly follow the safety car restart procedure at the2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Masi was born inSydney, Australia in 1978 and is of Italian descent. Growing up in the suburbs ofFairfield andCanada Bay, and attendedPatrician Brothers' College, Fairfield. Masi initially studiedmarketing atTAFE before his roles in motorsport.[2]
Masi began his career in motor racing volunteering forSuper Touring teams while still at school. He worked as deputy race director in theSupercarstouring car racing series[3] and atRally Australia.[4] In 2018, he was appointed by the FIA as theFormula 2 andFormula 3 deputy race director, and was appointed deputy to F1 race directorCharlie Whiting.[5][2] Masi alternated in this role between Grands Prix with Scot Elkins, who would become the race director forFormula E and theDeutsche Tourenwagen Masters.[6]
Following Whiting's death before the2019 Australian Grand Prix, Masi took on the role ofFormula One race director.[7]
Several of Masi's decisions as race director were subject to scrutiny from drivers, teams, and press. During the2020 Turkish Grand Prix qualifying session, cars were sent out on track while a crane was still on the track.[8] During the 2021 season, Masi was required to defend the red flag procedures used during the2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.[9][10] In the2021 Belgian Grand Prix, Masi was criticised for running qualifying in dangerous conditions, and then running the race behind the safety car for three laps, allegedly to ensure points were awarded.[11][12] He was criticized for negotiating with teams to change positions during the2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.[13] The following week, Masi's failure to correctly apply the re-start rules in the resumption of the race following a safety car period during the final lap of the2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was criticised for potentially altering championship results.Mercedes protested the result; the protest was not upheld.[14]
On 17 February 2022, Masi was removed from his role as Race Director following an FIA analysis into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[15][16] He was replaced byNiels Wittich andEduardo Freitas as race directors on an alternating basis for the 2022 Formula One season, andHerbie Blash as Permanent Senior Advisor to them.[17] A new position within the FIA (Independent Chair of the Supercar Commission) was offered to Masi,[18] which he started in August 2022.[19]
On 19 March 2022, the FIA published their official report into the Abu Dhabi controversy, confirming regulation infringements; specifically that "The Race Director called the safety car back into the pit lane without it having completed an additional lap as required by the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations (Article 48.12)".[20] The report concluded that Masi incorrectly applied regulations, in that not all lapped cars had unlapped themselves, and the safety car had not completed the mandatory additional lap before coming back into the pitlane. The FIA official report attributed these matters to "human error".[21]
Masi's decisions in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contributed toMohammed Ben Sulayem's FIA Presidential campaign platform, which emphasised restructuring and modernising race operations.[22] Ben Sulayem believed changes were necessary to restore public trust.[22]
In July 2022, Masi left the FIA in order to return to Australia and spend more time with his family.[23][24] In September, Masi was appointed the independent Chairman of the Supercars Commission in Australia.[25] He left this role in September 2025.[26] He was appointed to the board of directors of Karting Australia in December.[27]
Due to the abuse and death threats he received after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the exhaustion of travelling to different countries as race director, Masi sought help with his mental health.[28]
During the2023 Australian Grand Prix, Masi sought to meet with Hamilton in an effort to explain his decisions during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hamilton chose not to meet Masi, saying there was "nothing to say".[29]