F1 race director Michael Masi received death threats, claims Christian Horner

Recently sacked FIA race director Michael Masi and his family have received death threats, according to Christian Horner.

Suggesting that Masi wasn’t supported by people around him or by those in the sport, Horner revealed that the Australian was distressed after his sacking and from the hostility received after last year’s season finale. The Milton Keynes team boss revealed that Michael Masi and his family had received death threats as a result of the aftermath of the season finale.

The Red Bull F1 team principal said about Michael Masi:

“The lack of support that was shown to Michael was disappointing, especially at a time when mental health is so prevalent. To hear that his family and he received death threats is not right. An awful lot of pressure was put on the FIA to deal with him.”

Horner’s comments come after his team driver and reigning champion Max Verstappen suggested that the former F1 race director’s dismissal was unfair and unacceptable. Before the Dutchman’s comments, F1 single-seater head Peter Bayer also said that Masi was hit hard by public hostility and negative statements in the press.

A meeting between the FIA President, key F1 personnel, FIA personnel, team owners and team principals was convened to review the events of the season finale. Within days of the season finale, the FIA had announced the dismissal of the Australian F1 race director and a restructuring of the race refereeing system.

Empathising with the former racing director, the Red Bull F1 team wished others in the F1 commission meeting that convened in London shared the same opinion. Clearing his stance on the sacking of Masi, Horner spoke to The Independent and said:

“And I made it clear in last week’s meeting in London that there should have been more support for him. I was disappointed that nobody shared that opinion. I have had an exchange with Michael to wish him well. But the whole experience was very, very tough for him.”

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Max Verstappen blames FIA for not supporting Michael Masi after the controversial season finale

Max Verstappen empathised with Michael Masi over his harsh dismissal by the FIA.

The reigning champion criticised the regulatory body for sacking the race director for being lobbied by teams and the fiasco following the season finale. The Dutchman felt the Australian was hung out to dry by his employers and the sport in a period of crisis.

Slamming the FIA for the race director’s dismissal, Verstappen said:

“That F1 allowed that team members could talk to him while making decisions is very wrong. It needed to be Michael making decisions on his own without people screaming in his ear. The people who sacked him allowed that in the first place. For me (that) is unacceptable and now to sack him I find it really incredible.”

Apart from Horner and Verstappen, several drivers and teams have voiced their support for the Australian racing director.

While social media abuse has been condemned by all teams and drivers, it is going to be interesting to see if the former race director receives similar support from the rest of the sport as Nicholas Latifi did over death threats.