© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem says he “cannot apologise for something which was done before my time”, and “if I see there is an opportunity that the FIA needs, and Michael Masi is the right person, I will bring him”.
In a recent interview with the PA news agency, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem talked about the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, that saw race director Michael Masi disregard the rules which govern the use of the Safety Car, and this allowed Max Verstappen to beat Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 title.
Ben Sulayem says he cannot apologize for what happened in Abu Dhabi, because he was not the president of the FIA at the time, but he also adds he is open to bringing Michael Masi back, even though the Australian was removed from the position after the FIA conducted a review of his decisions.
“I always apologise, but I cannot apologise for something which was done before my time,” Ben Sulayem said.
“OK, I will do the apology, but I will bring Michael Masi again. Do you think that is right?
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“The poor guy is a person who has been attacked and abused. Michael Masi went through hell. Hell!
“And if I see there is an opportunity that the FIA needs and Michael Masi is the right person, I will bring him.
“I even had people threatening me to kill me because I had the power to change it [the result of Abu Dhabi].
“But I said to them: ‘Sorry, the World Cup of 1966, England against Germany, was that correct? Did they change it? No. Did they give it to Germany? Nein,’” the FIA President concluded.
