Ex-F1 racing director Masi linked to Australian GP role

Reports from local media in Australia have suggested that former Formula 1 race director Michael Masi could be in the running for a top job with the Australian Grand Prix next year.

Masi took over as race director at the start of 2019 at very short notice, after the sudden death of Charlie Whiting in Melbourne just days before the first race of the season.

He came under increasingly criticism for his decisions during the intense 2021 season, which culminated in an epic climax at Abu Dhabi which was won by Max Verstappen over Lewis Hamilton.

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But the way that Masi handled a late safety car restart proved highly controversial, with a subsequent FIA report concluding that race control hadn't followed the proper protocols.

As a result, Masi was fired from his post and left the FIA a few months later to return to his native Australia. The role was shared between Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich in 2022.

Since then the 44-year-old from Sydney has been appointed as the independent Chairman of the Supercars Commission in Australia, and is a member of the South Australian Motor Sport Board.

Masi will also take up a role on the board of directors of Karting Australia from January.

But now reports have suggested he's in line to take over from Andrew Westacott as the CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Commission which organises the annual race at Melbourne's Albert Park Circuit.

The AGPC also operates the annual MotoGP motorcycling event at Phillip Island in the autumn, with a current agreement in place with Dorma until 2026.

Westacott announced last week that he was retiring from his role at AGPC after 12 years, and that he would formally step down at the end of his current contract in June.

That leaves one of the biggest jobs in Australian motorsport up for grabs, and Masi's name has already been mentioned in connection with the post.

Australian-based motorsport news website Speedcafe.com said it had tried to contact Masi about the reports, but that he had refused to comment.

While a leading contender for the role should he want it, Masi is by no means the only potential candidate.

Former McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has also been suggested as Westacott's successor. After leaving F1 team management, Boullier had been managing director of the Formula 1 Grand Prix de France.

That body has now been dissolved after the end of the contract to hold the race at Circuit Paul Ricard, leaving Boullier available should AGPC come calling.

There are also high quality local candidates in the frame such as Glenn Matthews, CEO of the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club, and Amy Hill who was formerly general manager (operations) at AGPC.

The Australian GP was missing from the F1 calendar in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID restrictions, but made a return to the schedule in 2022 which saw a record crowd of 419,000 at the circuit over the four days of the event.

The FIA has just signed a new contract with the organisers of the Australian GP to ensure that the race stays on the F1 calendar until at least 2037.

It's also been assured of hosting the first race of the season on at least four occasions, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia also taking turns to get the championship under way.

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