The governing body of motorsport, the FIA, concluded on Saturday that former Formula One race director Michael Masi made a “human error”, but acted in good faith at last year's controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that ended the season.
Masi was replaced as race director last month after the crazy final in Abu Dhabi. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won his first world title after beating Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton on the final lap following a controversial resumption procedure.
Hamilton had a comfortable advantage until Nicholas Latifi's accident caused the safety car to enter with five laps remaining. Verstappen went on to change tires under the yellow flag, and Masi turned his decision upside down and let the five drivers separating Verstappen from Hamilton pass the safety car under the yellow flag. But not at eight, which would have taken longer.
“The process of identifying lagging cars has so far been manual and human error led to the fact that not all cars were allowed to pass,” the FIA commented in the publication of its conclusions on Saturday. “Due to the fact that manual interventions generally carry a higher risk of human error, software has been developed that, from now on, will automate the communication of the list of cars that must be returned.”
Masi also withdrew the security car too soon.
“The race director called the safety car into the pits without it having completed the additional lap,” the FIA said.
Verstappen resumed the race behind Hamilton and, with new, faster tires, overtook the Briton in the fifth corner. Mercedes lost both of her protests about how the race ended.
Verstappen's status as world champion, which is not in doubt, has been confirmed on the eve of the first race of the season in Bahrain.
“The results of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Formula One World Championship are valid, definitive and we cannot change them now,” the FIA said.
Masi was acquitted of any premeditated action and the FIA said he was only doing his best to finish the race.
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