FIA report into Abu Dhabi controversy confirms incorrect decision due to human error
The FIA report into the controversy surrounding Max Verstappen's championship victory over Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has confirmed that the sporting regulations were incorrectly applied.
Lewis Hamilton leads Max Verstappen during the closing stages of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. (LAT Images/Mercedes F1 Team)
The report placed the blame at the feet of former race director Michael Masi, with several factors identified in contributing to his decision to only allow certain cars to unlap themselves behind the safety car, giving Verstappen an advantage over Hamilton and the unlapped runners an advantage over the lapped runners.
The F1 commission identified several factors: additional pressure on the race director due to multiple roles being held by one person, distraction and pressure caused by direct communication with teams, a "misunderstanding" of the regulations, and the possibility of different interpretations of the regulations.
Changes have been made in each area, from a tweak to the regulations, to the introduction of a "virtual race control" who can advise new race directors Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas from the FIA base in Biggin Hill.
The recommendations have already been presented to the FIA World Motor Sport Council and adopted in a public statement on 17 February by new president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
