Alpine driver Fernando Alonso says he hopes the controversial occasions of final 12 months’s Method 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi weren’t a deciding consider race director Michael Masi being changed.
Masi’s dealing with of the late-race security automobile restart that in the end modified the end result of the 2021 title race at Yas Marina has been a scorching subject of dialogue all all through the low season, and an FIA evaluate into the occasions of the Abu Dhabi GP was ultimately parlayed into Masi exiting his position.
F1 will now have a pair of rotating race administrators in Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich, whereas a brand new digital race management room has additionally been added as a part of a wider revamp of F1 race officiating.
This has been overseen by new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who took over the position from the retiring Jean Todt late final 12 months.
Two-time F1 champion Alonso was one of the vocal critics of how grand prix races are officiated in 2021, and whereas his largest gripe gave the impression to be with the stewards and what they elected to research and both penalise or not, he additionally at one level described Masi as “too tender” and lamented a perceived lack of strict authority from race management.
When requested in the course of the Alpine F1 2022 launch what he product of the adjustments to the race course construction, Alonso mentioned: “I imply… the brand new president clearly needed to make it possible for all the pieces was in place, as I mentioned additionally a few instances I like Mohammed, I just like the method he has.
“So if he thinks that we wanted some new concepts there, it’s for the great for everybody, so I’m pleased with that.
“On the entire theme of Abu Dhabi, possibly I’ve a special opinion, I don’t assume that there was something unsuitable there.
“I don’t assume that they modified it [the race control structure] due to Abu Dhabi, or I hope not.”
The race course revamp was welcomed by the aggrieved events of the Abu Dhabi GP – Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton.
And Alonso’s Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon has additionally emerged amongst these outwardly glad with the reform.
“If the principles will be adopted the entire time, and be extra constant, I’m more than happy,” Ocon mentioned.
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