[Rumours] Groundhog Day’s Hamilton vs Masi - P45s at the ready?

[Akrapovic]

Masi and Tombazis have both been removed from the updated FIA Org Chart

https://www.fia.com/administration?tag=exp098-20

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Alan52

So either Toto and Lewis get to run the sport because clarifying the rules actually means sacking senior FIA officials or Lewis quits.
Blackmail is never pretty.

I think the most important word here is in the thread title...'Rumour'

Anything else after that is basically meaningless BS.

Funny how Lewis hasnt said a word since the incident other than to gratiously congratulate Max, and hes the one in the headlines...i guess the media have got to whip up a story and youre all falling for it.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

I think the most important word here is in the thread title...'Rumour'

Anything else after that is basically meaningless BS.

Funny how Lewis hasnt said a word since the incident other than to gratiously congratulate Max, and hes the one in the headlines...i guess the media have got to whip up a story and youre all falling for it.

Masi was in the FIA Org chart in October. He is now no longer in the Org Chart.

However, I don't believe that this is Mercedes getting to run the sport. Even if you take it to the extreme and pretend that Mercedes said "We're not coming back if the sport is being run by someone who disregards the rule book", I genuinely don't think that's an unfair thing. It's a sensible stance from Mercedes both from a sporting and business stand point.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Masi was in the FIA Org chart in October. He is now no longer in the Org Chart.

However, I don't believe that this is Mercedes getting to run the sport. Even if you take it to the extreme and pretend that Mercedes said "We're not coming back if the sport is being run by someone who disregards the rule book", I genuinely don't think that's an unfair thing. It's a sensible stance from Mercedes both from a sporting and business stand point.

Doesnt mean he still wont be Race Director, nor does it mean that Mercedes or Lewis have instigated this. It could be a few things ranging from a new president restructuring, as hes done with a few other posts, masi having his post removed from the fia chart but solely concentrating on race director because he cant do both at the same time or being removed completely because the FIA recognise that he just did a bad job.....or hes resigned himself recognising that fact.


It does make me laugh how people still think Mercedes have a special treatment or too much weight in F1 after a season where rules were implimented that harmed their car design specifically, followed by a decision in the final race that cost them the championship....this follows a few rule changes over the last few years specifically designed to remove an advantage that Mercedes have held like DAS, FRIC, vented rear wheels etc etc etc

But no.....Mercedes are the the favoured ones

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Masi and Tombazis have both been removed from the updated FIA Org Chart

https://www.fia.com/administration?tag=exp098-20

On the basis that respected journalist Joe Saward hasn't reported anything I suspect this is being over analysed

[Derwent]

Lewis has gone into hiding somewhere. It is surprising that given his status no hack has shot him any where since his got his knighthood. He's shut down his social media as well. He might had discovered that being out of the limelight and the whole circus is actually nice. he might actually be "getting a life" as they say.
These days drivers can have long careers. They start young and don't get killed. Thus with a field of just twenty these is not that much turnover. If Max is till going at the age Lewis is now he will have done 20 years in F1 and still be a young man. There has to be a point when they say that the 23 race circus all over the world is enough and they want to have time with their families and do other things.
Mercedes have over the history of racing come in and dominated and then left. The top brass might see the whole Lewis thing (cult status, BLM) is distracting from promoting the brand. In George Russell they have a very promotable guy who would appeal to potential Mercedes buyers.

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Masi and Tombazis have both been removed from the updated FIA Org Chart

https://www.fia.com/administration?tag=exp098-20

Were they definitely there before?A lot of those positions seem to be the beauracratic head of respective departments rather than people with “boots on the ground” jobs.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Derwent

Lewis has gone into hiding somewhere. It is surprising that given his status no hack has shot him any where since his got his knighthood. He's shut down his social media as well. He might had discovered that being out of the limelight and the whole circus is actually nice. he might actually be "getting a life" as they say.
These days drivers can have long careers. They start young and don't get killed. Thus with a field of just twenty these is not that much turnover. If Max is till going at the age Lewis is now he will have done 20 years in F1 and still be a young man. There has to be a point when they say that the 23 race circus all over the world is enough and they want to have time with their families and do other things.
Mercedes have over the history of racing come in and dominated and then left. The top brass might see the whole Lewis thing (cult status, BLM) is distracting from promoting the brand. In George Russell they have a very promotable guy who would appeal to potential Mercedes buyers.

If Mercedes’ thought the BLM/ diversity thing was bad for their image, they wouldn’t have thrown their whole weight behind it not just in F1 but in their road divisions too.

In terms of marketability, sure George is a marketable guy, but I suspect Lewis’s image hasn’t held back on road car sales either. Just look at where the Brand is now, compared to pre Lewis….

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Were they definitely there before?A lot of those positions seem to be the beauracratic head of respective departments rather than people with “boots on the ground” jobs.

Yes. They were both there in the document published in October, and the documents before.

[Greem]

FIA statement:

https://www.fia.com/news/fia-statement-3

Featuring the "recently appointed Single Seater Director Peter Bayer", being the person who now sits in the org chart where Masi and Tombazis were previously.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Were they definitely there before?A lot of those positions seem to be the beauracratic head of respective departments rather than people with “boots on the ground” jobs.

And - coincidence, or has the highlighting of the 'lack of progress' force the FIA into outlining the process for the inquiry into last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?

On January 19, the FIA's sporting advisory committee - essentially, the sporting directors of all the F1 teams as well as FIA representatives - will meet to discuss the use of the safety car.

In the days after that, there will be a "shared discussion with all F1 drivers".

An FIA statement added: "The outcome of the detailed analysis will be presented to the F1 Commission in February, and final decisions will be announced at the World Motor Sport Council in Bahrain on 18 March."

At the risk of presenting a biased article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59987230

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Masi and Tombazis have both been removed from the updated FIA Org Chart

https://www.fia.com/administration?tag=exp098-20

I don't believe they were listed on the previous one so this may not mean a whole lot just yet.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

It doesn’t. There’s no way to tell whether you are angry, if you just have a punchy way of writing, or if you are just light-heartedly stirring a bit. You need to use more emojis .

All of the above

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Derwent

Lewis has gone into hiding somewhere. It is surprising that given his status no hack has shot him any where since his got his knighthood. He's shut down his social media as well. He might had discovered that being out of the limelight and the whole circus is actually nice. he might actually be "getting a life" as they say.
These days drivers can have long careers. They start young and don't get killed. Thus with a field of just twenty these is not that much turnover. If Max is till going at the age Lewis is now he will have done 20 years in F1 and still be a young man. There has to be a point when they say that the 23 race circus all over the world is enough and they want to have time with their families and do other things.
Mercedes have over the history of racing come in and dominated and then left. The top brass might see the whole Lewis thing (cult status, BLM) is distracting from promoting the brand. In George Russell they have a very promotable guy who would appeal to potential Mercedes buyers.

Maybe he's found a nice lady friend over the break and is justifiably distracted by her affection.

Or maybe he's rediscovered the Pussycat Dolls.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

At the risk of presenting a biased article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59987230

I see Mr Benson has learned the copy/paste function for the opening lines of his articles

[Teretonga]

Speculation is just that. Tilting at windmills. PITW.
The investigation process and dates have been outlined and while opinions will be heard they are just that.

Changes will be relatively minor and some things like safety car and roles within the meetings clarified but the results of the investigation will be muted.
Nothing much will change, just some processes and procedures.
More rules to bite on. More that can go wrong.
A little cynical? Yes.

If anyone was expecting any major revelations of justice or injustice being noted I doubt it will happen. The FIA will not do that.
There will barely be a ripple in admission of any wrong doing in terms of sporting justice so expecting that is a waste of energy.
It is not the way the FIA handles things.
The report comes out a few days before the first GP so is it going to be significantly revealing? No.

'Nothing much to see here. Look forward to the first race. Move along now....'

And that will be it. Toto may make some gesture statements but will it actually deal with what happened?
Not really.
Time passes.
Yesterday is old news. Irrelevant.
(Its not irrelevant but that is the prevailing process and how it works)

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by Skam85

I see Mr Benson has learned the copy/paste function for the opening lines of his articles

“And many senior people in F1 do not see how Masi can survive this enquiry”.
Without naming one person who believes this.Unless Andrew Benson sees himself as a senior person or Toto whipped up a quorum of worthies for him.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Skam85

I don't believe they were listed on the previous one so this may not mean a whole lot just yet.

They were, and have been replaced.

But for clarity, the role of Race Director is not included in the organisation chart (2021 or 2022).

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

They were, and have been replaced.

But for clarity, the role of Race Director is not included in the organisation chart (2021 or 2022).

To be fair I had read that on another article but didn't really look into it that much.

If he's gone he's gone - but it may be a case of be careful what you wish for. Will Masi's replacement be better? He or she likely won't have as much experience, but then again a fresh set of eyes may not be the worst thing. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.

[Adam43]

But was Masi included in previous versions of the org chart?

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Adam43

But was Masi included in previous versions of the org chart?

According to post #36 above, he was - but not in the RD role as he, like Charlie before him, has several roles within the FIA structure. Not the same roles that Charlie had but he does have several.

More importantly, given the reference to P45s in the thread title and your post being #45, is there anything that you want to tell us Adam?

[Skam85]

I keep reading the thread title as PS5s at the ready, maybe Lewis and Michael can duke it out on the F1 game in a 5-lap Abu Dhabi race.

Winner stays in F1. Masi can race as Red Bull.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Tourer

According to post #36 above, he was - but not in the RD role as he, like Charlie before him, has several roles within the FIA structure. Not the same roles that Charlie had but he does have several.

More importantly, given the reference to P45s in the thread title and your post being #45, is there anything that you want to tell us Adam?

You could let me know if Masi was included in previous versions of the org structure.

That seems to be the most common question.

[Alan52]

Maybe the FIA’s solution is to add another layer of beauracratic interference?
Notice the people who hold the equivalent roles to Masi and Tombazis in Endurance and Rally aren’t on that flow chart either.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Adam43

You could let me know if Masi was included in previous versions of the org structure.

That seems to be the most common question.

The org charts attached as images to post #36 show him included at February last year in one of his roles but not this year.

I don't believe that the RD role appears in FIA org structures but happy to be corrected.