Many thought that the trauma of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was definitively in the past, but Niels Wittich has just reignited the controversy with a direct defense of Michael Masi.
According to Wittich, the dominant interpretation — that of a human error — is largely simplified, even instrumentalized.
In his view, Masi did not really make a mistake, but rather applied an implicit philosophy of the sport: favoring the spectacle.
A truncated finale
The controversy dates back to the last laps of the Grand Prix, when race control allowed only certain lapped cars to un-lap themselves under safety car conditions, in order to create a final racing lap between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. This decision, contradicting a strict reading of the regulations, directly influenced the outcome of the championship.
For Wittich, this decision was part of a logic already agreed upon beforehand: “The teams, the FIA, and F1 had agreed that races should, if possible, finish under green flag conditions. No one wanted to finish behind the safety car.”
In other words, Masi simply executed a collective will. The result — a spectacular final lap with overtaking and a last-minute lead change — was exactly what the stakeholders sought to produce: “It could have gone the other way. That’s sport,” Wittich summarizes.
The obvious scapegoat
But beyond the regulatory analysis, it is especially the internal management of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile that is strongly criticized. Wittich believes that Masi was used as a scapegoat after the controversy, sacrificed to ease media and political pressure.
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“The conclusion seemed to be that he had to go: they were essentially looking for a culprit,” he explains, denouncing a total lack of support from the institution towards its own officials, with president Jean Todt even absent from this decisive finale of the world championship.
He also points to a cultural shift within the FIA. At the time of Charlie Whiting, supported by Max Mosley, race directors had solid backing. This safety net has disappeared, leaving decision-makers exposed on the front line.
The red flag alternative
Regarding the sporting aspect, Wittich greatly downplays the impact of this race. According to him, a championship is not decided by a single Grand Prix, but by the entire season. He emphasizes that both Hamilton and Verstappen had multiple opportunities to secure the title beforehand.
Finally, he rejects the idea that a red flag — often mentioned as an alternative — would have been a fairer solution, calling it an incoherent option.
Wittich completely overturns the classic interpretation of the event: Michael Masi did not betray Formula 1, he applied what it expected, namely to provide spectacle. The real problem, according to him, lies in an institution that does not take responsibility for its own choices once faced with controversy.
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