F1 timings screen shows SC was called in before track was clear during 2021 season finale, fans speculate

A new image of the F1 timing screen shows the safety car being called in before all the debris was cleared off the track at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Some fans are now speculating that the whole incident was planned by the FIA in order to intentionally deny Lewis Hamilton of his victory against Max Verstappen.

Just when you think the Abu Dhabi saga between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen is coming to an end, new material shows itself, giving fans plenty of opportunities to speculate. The new image, which is currently making its rounds on Twitter, however, is driving fans all the way against the FIA. The image shows the timing chart containing all the events which occurred on the final few laps of the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It clearly shows the track was not clear in sector 18 in 18:32, but the the safety car was called in at 18:31. The accompanying tweet reads:

“Can @Ben_Sulayem or the @fia explain this to me? How was the Safety car called in on 18.31 when the track was not clear until 18.32? Even then, sector 18 wasn’t clear.”

Another fan replied:

“Everyone in F1 knows this is wrong. What really makes me mad is that no one wants to correct the result.”

The FIA is yet to clarify the contents of the tweet and has remained silent on the matter since.

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Romain Grosjean and Helmut Marko among those defending F1 race director

With #MasiOut consistently trending on Twitter since the end of the race at Yas Marina, industry experts such as Romain Grosjean and Helmut Marko have come out in support of race director Michael Masi's decision at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Grosjean defended the Australian, claiming that as a spectator, the decision was the right one given the circumstances. The Frenchman feels as if the decision would have received criticism regardless of how the final moments panned out. He said:

“There’s a few ways of seeing it. It would have been very strange to not unlap those cars and have Lewis first and then Max four cars behind over one lap for the world championship. And, on the other hand, for Lewis, it was definitely not a great call. But as a TV fan, as a spectator, as for the sport, I think Michael Masi made the right decision.”

The former Haas F1 driver-turned-IndyCar pro is against the idea of ending a world championship finale under a safety car. Helmut Marko is another expert who believes the same, praising Masi for handling the situation under great duress. The F1 veteran said:

“One must also credit Michael Masi, who wanted to finish the race under racing conditions.”

While Lewis Hamilton's return is reportedly contingent on the results of the ongoing FIA inquiry, only time will tell whether Michael Masi retains his job for the 2022 season.

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