“Lewis Hamilton’s behavior led to Michael Masi being fired,” Helmut Marko blames Briton for Masi’s dismissal as race director


“Lewis Hamilton’s behavior led to Michael Masi being fired,” Helmut Marko blames Briton for Masi’s dismissal as race director

Red Bull's Helmut Marko and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton

Helmut Marko the RedBull team adviser has recently stirred the Michael Masi pot by saying that Lewis Hamilton’s silence during the off-season was one of the reasons which led to the firing of Michael Masi as race director.

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It has been stated in Soymotor that in the view of Helmut Marko, Lewis Hamilton was never going to retire, however, his silence during the off-season was his way of showing the dissatisfaction he felt after the last race of the 2021 Formula1 season, and ardently believes that ultimately it led to Masi losing his job for the 2022 season.

Michael Masi
Michael Masi

Marko always believed that Lewis was going to stay as during the off-season he repeatedly said that he will continue in Formula1.

While talking about it he recently said. “There were clear indications that Hamilton would not stop because there was no movement in the driver market. If Hamilton had informed Mercedes that he was taking a step back, they would have quickly started looking for a replacement.”

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Lewis Hamilton has confessed that he lost faith in Formula1

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton

The brit after returning to the sport has recently accepted that he was disillusioned with the sport but has also said that the Abu Dhabi incident was not the main reason behind his disconnect from the sport. He needed time off to process the whole season. Whatever the case, Helmut is adamant that Lewis cost Masi his job.

Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko
Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko

With his silence, he just wanted to show his dissatisfaction with the situation and with the decisions. Some of that behavior later led to Masi being fired from his position. I don’t think it’s right. You have to look at his actions over the years.”

Max Verstappen Michael Masi and Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen Michael Masi and Lewis Hamilton

The RedBull adviser feels that Michael Masi was made the sacrificial pawn in the Abu Dhabi saga and doesn’t agree with it at all. For the 2022 season Masi is replaced by Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich who would be supported by VAR during the season. Helmut believes if Masi has such tools during 2021, he would have been able to make decisions more clearly.

If Masi had had at his disposal everything that is going to come in now, the VAR and an advisor, it would have been easier for him to decide.”

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Formula1
Formula One

Everything is done and dusted now, Masi has left, and with Helmut backing Masi to do a good job if he had the tools during the 2021 season, it is going to be interesting to see how the two new race directors are going to fare during the 2022 season of Formula1.

Also Read: “They’ve ruined a few drivers,” says McLaren CEO Zak Brown on Red Bull’s junior programme

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