F1: Public hostility from deranged Hamilton fans ‘really hit’ Masi hard

FIA Secretary General Peter Bayer says public “hostility” towards Michael Masi hit the Australian hard.

Masi was handed the job of FIA race director following the passing of Charlie Whiting days before the start of the 2019 Formula 1 season.

Masi’s unprecedented call to allow only the drivers between the championship contenders to unlap themselves so the fans could see a 1-lap shootout for the title, instead of a parade around the pace car, was heavily criticized by deranged Hamilton fans that included death threats, with the FIA launching at investigation into that decision.

According to Motorsport-Total.com, he told De Presse: “As a police officer, you rarely get any sympathy. What has become unbearable are the reactions on social media, which stop at nothing, as you saw with the death threats against Williams driver Latifi.

“Michael doesn’t have an account, but the hostility in other channels really hit him.

“In our conversations, I assured him of the support of the association and let him know: We want to continue working with you, but I also need your understanding that we do that subject to investigation.”

It wasn’t just social media where Masi had to deal with pressure, that also came during grands prix from the team bosses.

Bayer says he supports F1 managing director Ross Brawn’s call for the teams to be prevented from contacting Race Control.

“The team bosses will no longer be able to intervene on this channel,” Bayer said, although the “team managers can still intervene because they need to be able to ask questions.”

There will also be a buffer between the FIA race director and the team bosses. “In this way, the race director can concentrate on his task in the future and will no longer be distracted,” Bayer added.