Max Verstappen claims Michael Masi was ‘thrown under a bus’ and didn’t deserve sacking after Lewis Hamilton controversy
MAX VERSTAPPEN says former race director Michael Masi was ‘chucked under the bus’ and did not deserve to be sacked after last season’s controversy.
Masi’s handling of the late safety car in Abu Dhabi gave Verstappen a huge advantage which allowed him to overtake Lewis Hamilton on the last lap to win his first world title.
Speaking on Masi’s sacking, he said: “I think it’s not correct. Everyone always tries to do the best job but everyone can always use help.
“I think us drivers also, to try and improve ourselves.
“But it’s very unfair what happened to Michael because he’s really been thrown under the bus.”
Verstappen sympathised with the pressure Masi was under, after teams up and down the grid would harass the race director during races while he was making decisions.
Red Bull and Mercedes both gave Masi a barrage of radio messages in Abu Dhabi which ultimately led to the season-defining decision.
Verstappen added: “Can you imagine refereeing in whatever sport, the coach equivalent, screaming in his ear all the time, ‘it’s yellow card, red card, no decision, no foul’. It’s impossible to make a decision.
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“That team members could talk to him while making decisions is very wrong because it needed to be Michael making the decisions but he had people screaming in his ear.
“So the people right now who did sack him allowed it in the first place, it’s unacceptable.
“And now basically they just sacked him, I find it really incredible.
“So I feel really sorry for Michael because I think he was a very capable and good race director.”