Thursday, January 13, 2022
Does Mercedes demand Masi?
Wolff opens a showdown about the future of Hamilton
It is still unclear whether Lewis Hamilton will get into his Mercedes again in the coming Formula 1 season. The seven-time world champion is silent. A summit could bring some initial clarity. His racing team should go to the meeting with the new FIA boss with a clear demand.
The superstar is silent, but there is a summit between Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and the new world association boss. As the British newspaper “Dail Mail” reports, Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 future could have a decisive impact on Friday. Then Wolff and Mohammed Ben Sulayem want to talk about what happened at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, which cost Hamilton the eighth driver’s title. “That will never be forgotten. Because what happened to Lewis was simply wrong,” said Wolff in an interview on his 50th birthday on Wednesday of the Austrian “Kronen-Zeitung”.
According to the report of the “Daily Mail”, the Mercedes bosses are calling for the removal of Michael Masi, who, as race director, was responsible for the controversial decisions in the final phase of the showdown in the United Arab Emirates. There is much speculation about whether and, if so, to which conditions Hamilton will continue. It was only in the summer of last year that he extended his contract with the German works team for another two years until the end of 2023.
Wolff doesn’t give up hope
“I very much hope that we will see him again. He is the most important part of our sport,” emphasized Wolff and, looking at the 103-time Grand Prix winner, became a bit clearer: “It would be an indictment of the whole formula 1 when the best driver decides to quit because of outrageous decisions. “
Wolff had described himself and Hamilton as disaffected in the days after the final. How hard the defeat is still taking Hamilton under the remarkable circumstances, only he knows himself. The Briton, who turned 37 on January 7th, has been idling on social media for a month. No postings, no statements, simply nothing, while his new teammate George Russell proudly presented himself on Instagram a few days ago with a broad grin in the “new uniform” from Mercedes.
As the BBC and the broadcaster Sky Sport from Great Britain recently reported, Hamilton should make its decision dependent on the outcome of the investigation by the World Automobile Federation. This should have started on Monday and should be completed by February 3rd at the latest. The investigation is about the phase that in the last few minutes of the last race decided a rousing World Championship in a highly controversial way. During the safety car phase, race director Masi ensured that Hamilton’s rival Max Verstappen had the chance of a final overtaking duel on the last lap. The Dutchman skilfully used this in the Red Bull and won the World Cup in the end.