Michael Masi, the previous System One race director who oversaw final 12 months’s controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi, has left the FIA and relocated to his residence nation of Australia.
Masi was eliminated as F1 race director forward of the 2022 season after the FIA discovered “human error” was responsible for the inaccurate software of Security Automobile guidelines within the closing phases of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
In an try to hurry up the restart of the race after a late Security Automobile interval, Masi ignored sections of the FIA’s personal sporting rules to arrange a final lap battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the title.
Had he adopted the foundations appropriately, the race would have ended beneath a Security Automobile and Hamilton would have been topped champion, however by shortcutting the restart course of Masi handed a bonus to Verstappen, who went on to overhaul Hamilton on the ultimate lap and win the championship.
An FIA investigation discovered Masi had acted in “good religion”, however the governing physique nonetheless felt it essential to implement an overhaul of its race management operation, which included appointing two new race administrators to switch Masi.
In a press release on Tuesday, the FIA confirmed Masi now not labored for the governing physique.
“The FIA confirms that Michael Masi has determined to go away the FIA and relocate to Australia to be nearer to his household and tackle new challenges,” a press release mentioned.
“He oversaw a three-year interval as FIA System One Race Director and Security Delegate following the sudden passing of Charlie Whiting in 2019, finishing up the quite a few features he was tasked with in an expert and devoted method.
“The FIA thanks him for his dedication and needs him the very best for the longer term.”