The FIA’s decision to replace Formula 1 race director Michael Masi, and the announcement of sweeping changes to officiating in the sport, shows what the governing body intends to do about the controversy sparked by last year’s title-deciding race in Abu Dhabi.
However it has not shed light on the analysis which led to the changes. Crucially, it hasn’t explained what went wrong or who was responsible.
It was never likely to, for obvious reasons. Were the FIA to acknowledge mistakes were made in the handling of the final-lap restart, which changed the outcome of the world championship, it would cast doubt on the validity of the result.
Mercedes launched a protest immediately after Lewis Hamilton lost the championship on the final lap. The team pointed out the long-established procedure for restarting a race after a Safety Car period had not been followed and that the protocol for allowing lapped cars to re-join the lead lap had been changed.
Their complaints were rejected on the…