Yeah I'd rather have them open so we can see the brakes glow on the last of the late brakers

Benoire:

Yeah I'd rather have them open so we can see the brakes glow on the last of the late brakers

McLaren launch:

Yuck. The Gulf thing is so played out. 

Michael Masi Sacked

I don't have a problem with this personally.  Did not like the approach taken to later half of last years season especially.

He was spectacularly inconsistent last year and it got so bad in the second half and that final race was his downfall... that all being said, the amount of stress on the race director is immense.  Not only is he the race director but he also inspects the new tracks, visits different areas... his travel schedule is worse than the teams... I recall at one point he had to fly to miami mid week to inspect the circuit setup and then fly back to another race destination, fly out somewhere else etc.

The new structure looks better and with Herbie there at all the races as the deputy we should see less inconsistency in this.  FIA is as much to blame for the errors last season as Masi is in my opinion for asking too much of him with little to no support.

Also happy that the comms from teams to director is now gone, no direct contact and no direct lobbying.

Benoire:

 

Also happy that the comms from teams to director is now gone, no direct contact and no direct lobbying.

 

Isn't the lobbying still happening, we just don't get to hear it?

Lots of discussion around the last lap, almost no discussion about how Hamilton got to keep a position by going off-track and the effect that may have had on the championship. Funny that. 

Like Max during previous races, this is why the race director had to go as he wasn't esclating topics to the stewards as expected and was trying to avoid these confrontations with drivers and stewards.  Also wasn't that incident esclated to the stewards and they decided nothing was worth dealing with?

I think the lobbying is gone to the race director, I think the FIA have removed the ability to communicate with them at the teams will, only the race director can call them.  Obviously there will be other channels for the teams to use but it won't be direct and can be ignored.

Benoire:

 

Also wasn't that incident esclated to the stewards and they decided nothing was worth dealing with?

 

It was, but given the obvious advantage gained, it was a notably crappy decision. Yet the overwhelming English-speaking narrative has Lewis as the victim, despite him obviously getting away with a total screamer that was so obvious, even Brundle said he'd have to give it back. 

But the race director in that instant did the right thing, he passed it on to the stewards and the issue is related to the race director not the stewards (who are also known for odd decisions).  Either way, the race director was too busy last season and have the split role plus Herbie will be fantastic at ensuring the rules are followed and the race managed as required.

Benoire:

 

But the race director in that instant did the right thing, he passed it on to the stewards and the issue is related to the race director not the stewards (who are also known for odd decisions).  Either way, the race director was too busy last season and have the split role plus Herbie will be fantastic at ensuring the rules are followed and the race managed as required.

 

Still a crappy decision which just gave the lead to Lewis after he'd lost it. The quality of that Stewards call has been totally papered over despite the fact it changed the lead in the championship decider - and completely disproves any conspiracy to hand Max the title. 

I feel like Masi was probably thrown into the role following Charlie Whiting dying a bit too soon tbh. There hadn't really been a close title battle for yonks and the behaviour of Toto and Horner was getting worse with each race as the season went by. I doubt a RD has been under that kind of pressure since... I don't know, maybe the early 2010s? 

Possibly some of the merc infighting was troublesome for the Race Director but as it didn't involve the rest of the field it was probably a walk in the park compared to '21.  2008-10 may have been some of the worst more recent seasons with multiple teams fighting it out with different tech; blown diffusers, KERS etc.

insane: Will laugh so hard if Masi comes back in an even more influential role. Perhaps someone in charge of rule compliance or similar.

He'll be out there measuring every inch of that Mercedes car week after week looking for a reason to send them to the back of the grid.

Haven't we already established from last year that it's racist to expect the Mercedes to comply with aero regulations?