Wittich revives Abu Dhabi 2021 controversy, defends ‘scapegoat’ Masi

Former FIA race director Niels Wittich has reignited the 2021 Abu Dhabi controversy by defending Michael Masi’s safety‑car decision. Wittich argues the move followed a pre‑agreed green‑flag policy and that the FIA abandoned Masi as a convenient scapegoat. His remarks have split the F1 community and renewed scrutiny of race‑director authority.

Why it matters:

• Masi’s removal exposed gaps in FIA governance and raised questions about procedural transparency.
• The 2021 title showdown still colors team dynamics and fan sentiment, making any discussion of race‑director decisions highly political.

The details:

• Wittich says Masi acted within his discretion under Article 48.12, which does not explicitly forbid letting the five lapped cars un‑lap themselves.
• He points to a long‑standing agreement among teams, the FIA and F1 management to finish races under green‑flag conditions whenever possible.
• Wittich contends the safety‑car decision created a “spectacular” one‑lap shootout, the exact outcome the sport’s stakeholders expected.
• He criticises the FIA for using Masi as a scapegoat and notes that past race directors like Charlie Whiting received clear backing from leadership, a safety net now missing.

What's next:

• The FIA announced a review of safety‑car and restart rules, but no concrete changes have been published yet.
• Wittich’s comments may prompt further public scrutiny of race‑director protocols and influence future governance reforms.