© Wolfgang Wilhelm for Daimler AG
Former Formula 1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck says race director Michael Masi didn’t follow the rules in Abu Dhabi, and without his decisions Max Verstappen “would never have been able to drive past Hamilton”.
Former March, Brabham, Shadow and ATS driver Hans-Joachim Stuck gives his opinion on the controversial ending of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, that saw Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to win the 2021 championship on the last lap, after some seriously dubious decisions by race director Michael Masi.
“It has to be said clearly that there is a need for action in the ranks of the FIA. This mess is not worthy of a world championship fight in Formula 1,” Stuck told Eurosport.
“The fact that Mr. Masi allows the lapped cars to un-lap themselves on the last lap is nice for the fans and for Max Verstappen, who was given another chance, but the regulations state that lapped cars must first reconnect to the rear before the race can be restarted.
“These are all decisions that nobody can understand anymore, for me there is no stringency in them.”
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Stuck was then asked if he thinks Masi made the decisions that he did because he didn’t want the season to end under the Safety Car?
“That would be all well and good – but then he should have done it right,” the German explained.
“Verstappen owes the title to Masi. Without the race director’s decision, he would never have been able to drive past Hamilton. You have to see it that way.
“Still, it was good to restart the race again – only it should have happened earlier. Just like the last race in Saudi Arabia, in Abu Dhabi ad hoc decisions have been made, that are just insane.
“The rule interpretation is a joke. That will not do. You have to make sure that there are reasonable decisions that comply with the rules and are then used exactly as they are,” Stuck concluded.
