I can’t see any reason why he should not continue: Former F1 boss' wife defends Michael Masi

Former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone's wife Fabiana Ecclestone has come out in support of Michael Masi. The Brazilian executive claims Masi did what he had to under great duress in Abu Dhabi.

Michael Masi's controversial late-safety car has been the main subject of discussion within the F1 fraternity. According to BBC Sport, some seniors in the sport have claimed they do not see any way in which the race director can keep his job after the events of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But Bernie Ecclestone's wife Fabiana Ecclestone does not agree.

The Brazilian believes Masi did his job well and has been unnecessarily criticized by fans and drivers. She told the Daily Mail:

"I see no reason why Michael should not continue to do his duty. There was a really complicated situation and he tried to act as best he could in the process.It would be equally unfortunate to finish the race behind the Safety Car. He is a good person and the FIA should stand by him."

Mrs. Ecclestone is one of the FIA's vice-presidents of sport, managing racing affairs in South America. She was elected at the height of the controversy, having been given the prestigious role during the appointment of the new FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem.

F1 talent-scout Helmut Marko praised Michael Masi

Despite being in the minority, Fabiana Ecclestone is not the only person to defend Masi. Red Bull adviser and talent-scout Helmut Marko has come out in defense of the Australian, claiming he ensured that the race in Abu Dhabi ended under racing-conditions, something that had apparently been agreed upon by all teams at the start of the year.

The 78-year-old executive compared F1 to NASCAR and IndyCar, which often add additional laps at the end of a race to ensure the events don't end under safety cars. He told Sport und Talk:

“With IndyCar or NASCAR, for example, there is a rule that they even add a lap so that the race can be finished under racing conditions. There were five cars in between and he just sent them away, so that you could drive this last lap. It’s like the referee, he has the right and if he decides like that, then that’s valid.”

Other TV pundits such as Martin Brundle and Damon Hill have claimed that replacing Masi won't fix the issue within the sport. Analysts believe that any race director needs a group of people to support him and help make decisions given the hectic travel schedule the F1 follows.The FIA report scheduled for the 18th of March will tell us whether Masi has any future in the sport.