Wolff: Masi a 'liability' for F1 unable to accept criticism

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says former FIA race director Michael Masi had become a liability for Formula 1 as he was unable to accept criticism from others in a positive light.

Masi was ousted as the sport's chief steward following his botched management of the closing stages of last December's 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The Aussie's decision to circumvent the normal safety car rules to allow for a one-lap shootout between race leader Lewis Hamilton and title contender Max Verstappen blew the race wide open and delivered the world crown on a silver platter to the Red Bull driver.

In the period that followed the race and the publication of the FIA's report on the event in Abu Dhabi which led to Masi's eviction and to the restructuring of F1's race control and procedures, Wolff made clear that he had no intention of crossing paths with or speaking to Masi ever again.

But in an interview with the Press Association, the Mercedes boss pulled out his hatchet and tore into Masi's character, recalling a lunch he shared with the latter on the eve of F1's title decider in Abu Dhabi.

"It is quite interesting because I had lunch with him on the Wednesday before the race," Wolff remembered.

"And I said to him that 'I really want to tell you, without patronising you, that you need to take criticism on board and develop from there. Lewis does it every day, but you are the guy who always seems to know better'.

"It wasn't about influencing him but really giving my honest feedback that he shouldn't block outside opinion as simply being wrong."

• Horner: Mercedes pressure on Masi 'tantamount to bullying'

Continuing his hatchet job, Wolff revealed that Masi's personality and blunt modus operandi had often put him at odds with others in the F1 paddock, including drivers and race promoters.

"You hear from the drivers and how the drivers' briefings were conducted [by Masi] and some of the guys said it was almost disrespectful how he treated some of them," added Wolff.

"There is a promoter of one of the races in the Middle East who said he was so relieved he had gone because he got so much abuse from him.

"He was just immune to any feedback and even today he has not properly reflected that he did something wrong.

"He was a liability for the sport because everybody kept talking about Abu Dhabi and the race director, and the race director should not be somebody that people talk about, but someone who does the job and makes sure the race is run according to the regulations."

While Wolff did not hold back his criticism of Masi, the Mercedes team co-owner offered a positive assessment of new race director Niels Wittich after his first month in office, although the Austrian questioned the latter's focus on secondary concerns last weekend, such as the sporting rule that forbids drivers from wearing jewellery while out on track.

"How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn't put a single foot wrong," said Wolff.

"But is that [jewellery ban] a battle he needs to have at this stage? However, if it turns out to be the biggest unfortunate misstep of a race director, I would take it a thousand times over."

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