Motorsport News February 3, 2022

Bosses of grand prix racing have hinted that Michael Masi’s reign as Formula 1 race director could be over after the controversy surrounding the final race of the year inAbu Dhabi last December. The governing body has launched a review into the dying moments of the 2021 campaign when two rules regarding the deployment of the safety car and the restart of the race were not followed correctly. The upshot was that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was able to overtake Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on the last lap to claim his first World championship. The FIA’s new head of F1 Peter Bayer said: “Michael did a super job in many ways. We have told him that. But also, there is the possibility there could be a new race director.” The FIAis due to report…

It was almost unthinkable that there wouldn’t be a root-and-branch change in the way grand prix races were operated in 2022 after the debacle that was the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December last year. It seems the FIA’s solutions will be very sensible ones, it is just a shame that Formula 1 had to go through such a public meltdown to get to this point. Michael Masi’s position was untenable from the moment he let a limited number of backmarking cars unlap themselves at Yas Marina. What hurts the most for the motorsport fan is that Formula 1 had a golden opportunity to showcase itself on a global platform. The sparks that flew in the 2021 contest between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had a fresh generation of eyes tuning…

The FIA is considering a move to split up responsibilities in the Formula 1 race control room after the controversy that engulfed the end of the 2021 season. F1 race director Michael Masi’s position is in jeopardy after the mishandling of the safety car procedure and subsequent restart of the title-decidingAbu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. The result was that Max Verstappen was in a position to overtake Lewis Hamilton and claim his first World championship on the final lap in the Middle East. Peter Bayer, the FIA’s new head of F1, has hinted that Masi will be replaced as race director for the start of the 2022 season in Bahrain on March 20. He also told anAustrian journalist that the way grands prix are operated could be altered in the future. Bayer said:…

Reports suggest that Las Vegas is in contention to host America’s third Formula 1 race in the future. Talks between the sport’s bosses and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority are centred around a new street track that will use a section of the city’s famous strip. The race could take place from 2023. It would be the third race in the USA alongside the round at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and the planned race on the streets of Miami in Florida. It is believed that Formula 1’s stakeholders are in favour of the plan to ramp up the presence of the grand prix show in the United States, but the addition of any further events is likely to put pressure on the overloaded calendar. Formula 1 will…

Formula 1 will continue to race in Singapore through to the end of 2026 after grand prix bosses and track chiefs inked a new deal. The race in the Far East, which has not been held since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic, is due to return the 2022 schedule on October 2. The new deal was signed with the national government, which rubber-stamps the fact the 2022 race will take place. Astatement said: “All parties will work closely together with relevant government agencies and industry stakeholders to refine and implement appropriate protocols to prioritise the health and safety of all participants, staff, fans and the community.” F1 president Stefano Domenicali said: “Singapore holds a special place on the F1 calendar, and this extension is part of our long-term commitment to continue to grow…

The third W Series competition in 2022 will feature eight F1 support races and a race in Japan for its first trip toAsia. The calendar will begin with a round on the new circuit in the grounds of the Miami Dolphins’home stadium on the first weekend of May and conclude, as it did in 2021, with a race in Mexico City. TheAlfa Romeo-powered machines will feature as part of the support package at the British Grand Prix on July 1-3 while the category’s first Japanese race will be at Suzuka on October 7-9. Series boss Catherine Bond Muir said: “W Series’expansion continues with the announcement of our 2022 race calendar which will see us visit more circuits and countries in a single season than ever before. “Last year, we began a landmark partnership with…