Horner calls for 'better support' for Masi and 'simplified rules'

Christian Horner believes "better support" should be offered in the future to F1 race director Michael Masi while the Red Bull team boss also advocates for simplified rules surrounding race controls decisions.

Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen were the big beneficiaries of Masi's controversial handling of the final stages of last December's title decider in Abu Dhabi, to the detriment of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton.

But the outcome of the climactic event has led to an investigation by the FIA into Masi's decisions at Yas Marina that could result in the Aussie relinquishing his role as F1's top steward when the results of the review are published next month.

However, with few qualified candidates available to replace Masi, Horner believes that strengthening the structure around F1's race director is perhaps a better course of action moving forward, a view also previously conveyed by Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.

"The new [FIA] President has put a key focus on this and I think there's a big drive to make sure that the Race Director has better support," Horner told Sky Sports.

"The tools that we [the teams] have at our disposal are far in advance of that of Michael and his team, so I think there's been a lot of focus on that over the winter.

"I think you'll see that role better supported, which will hopefully enable decisions to be easier and swifter, but I think we also need to look at the regulations to simplify some of those as well."

• Read also - Herbert: Trust in Masi has 'utterly evaporated'

Despite the controversy surrounding F1's 2021 finale which has led to a polarizing debate among F1 fans, with the Hamilton and Verstappen camps opposing each other's views, Horner insists the bickering and embroilment took nothing away from Red Bull's achievement or from its end-of-season elation.

"The only ones talking about it have been you guys [the media]," Horner said.

"We thoroughly enjoyed getting that championship victory and obviously the focus is now on 2022 – 2021 is already history, but we're excited about the season ahead."

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