Mercedes boss Toto Wolff denies Lewis Hamilton demanded Michael Masi’s departure to remain in F1

Wolff on Hamilton’s future: “I have known Lewis for such a long time and I wasn’t [concerned about him quitting], but obviously this [finish to the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi] has had such an impact on him.”

Lewis Hamilton is set to remain with Mercedes in 2022

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has insisted that Michael Masi’s departure as race director was not a factor in Lewis Hamilton staying in F1.

Hamilton confirmed at Mercedes’ car launch on Friday that he would be racing in 2022, saying: “I never, ever said I was going to stop”.

The FIA has replaced Masi as F1 race director following a review into last year’s season-ending Abu Dhabi GP, where the Italian’s handling of the Safety Car decisions in the race were questioned.

Hamilton was denied a history-making eighth world title, as Max Verstappen passed him on the final lap to claim a controversial race win and title, with Wolff previously describing the Brit’s ‘disillusionment’ about the way the 2021 season finished.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Johnny Herbert, Damon Hill and Martin Brundle debate whether the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was manipulated and whether the ending was the greatest sporting injustice of all time.

But on Friday Wolff said he was always confident that the 37-year-old would return.

When asked whether Masi’s removal was a condition for Hamilton staying in the sport, Wolff told BBC 5Live: “No, absolutely not. I think it was for Lewis himself to decide how can I digest the events from Abu Dhabi and the same for the team, and I think we moved on.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announces that Michael Masi has been removed as F1 race director amongst a string of other changes .

“It’s in the past. It’s not something that we will, in a way, recover, but it wasn’t a condition.

“I have known Lewis for such a long time and I wasn’t [concerned about him quitting], but obviously this has had such an impact on him. When everything you do is about fairness and justice and then that happens to you, it is quite difficult, I understand, to cope with that.”

Did F1 lose credibility in Abu Dhabi?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sky Sports Formula One reporter Craig Slater explains the departure of Michael Masi as race director and what it means heading into the new season.

Masi ordered only the lapped cars between Hamilton and second-placed Verstappen through during the dramatic Safety Car in the 2021 decider, providing the Dutchman, on fresh tyres, a shot at passing Hamilton – who was on old rubber.

While Masi’s actions were justified by the FIA stewards following a Mercedes team appeal, F1’s governing body lodged a full review into the process and admitted the sport’s image was being tarnished.

“The team bosses and the sporting directors hammering on the race director isn’t something that’s helpful,” Wolff added. “That was decided a few years ago, to give the fans more insight of what was going on. but it wasn’t good in the end.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sky F1’s Martin Brundle says teams should not be able to lobby a race director while critical decisions are being made, following the controversial Abu Dhabi season finale.

“You can see in a way the mistrust to the race director in that situation, because I feared he would call a safety car just to bunch the field up and restart the race after that incident and it wasn’t right to call the safety car.

“All that was triggered by the past events and it clearly wasn’t right. In the end, the exchanges between the Red Bull team and the race director wasn’t okay, but it is what is. It doesn’t bring the Championship trophy back to us or to Lewis.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Formula 1 expert Karun Chandhok says former race director Michael Masi made a mistake in Abu Dhabi but believes the system did not help with the situation either.

‘Time to move forward’

Mercedes revealed their new W13 car for the 2022 season on Friday and Hamilton joined compatriot George Russell for the launch at Silverstone, with Wolff now hoping to see the sport move on from Abu Dhabi and focus on the year ahead.

“The reason why I’m in the sport and our team is the honesty of the stopwatch,” Wolff added. “You know whether you’re good enough or not and, on that day, Lewis was the best driver and the team performed.

“If that’s taken away, you kind of question the integrity, but as a matter of fact I think we need to move on.

“The sport had a fantastic season last season with a great battle at the front and the audiences are great. Polarisation is sometimes good for the sport but now it’s about stopping discussion about Abu Dhabi and moving forward.”