F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty
Former Haas team principal feels Lewis Hamilton would now be an eight-time world champion if Michael Masi was not the race director in 2021 and Charlie Whiting was still alive. The 2021 F1 season is going to go down in the history of the sport in infamy because both on and off-track drama went through the roof.
In 2021, Hamilton and Max Verstappen were fighting for the title, and the on-track battles took a different turn. Race director Michael Masi became a central figure in many decisions during that season. However, the in-race team radio communication between the race director and the team principals, with all of the back-and-forth, was broadcast to the world.
The entire dynamics led to many instances of mismanagement by the race director during the title battle featuring Hamilton and Verstappen. It all culminated with the final race in Abu Dhabi 2021, where Michael Masi would restart the race with just one lap left in dubious circumstances.
