Michael Masi was race director at the controversial 2021 Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi: the Australian is now taking on a new senior role in motorsport
Former Formula 1 race director Michael Masi is taking on a new leadership role in Australian motorsport: SRO Motorsports Australia has appointed the 47-year-old as sporting director. Masi will begin his handover to his new role as early as the upcoming GT World Challenge Australia race weekend in Sydney.
In his role, Masi will be responsible for coordinating the sporting operations of the events. This includes, amongst other things, overseeing the race stewards, the race director and other officials. At the same time, he will ensure that procedures comply with the international standards of the SRO Motorsports Group. However, Masi will not take over full responsibility from his predecessor, Abi Hay, until the 2027 season.
What Michael Masi has to say about his new role
Masi himself sees great potential in his new role: “It’s an extremely exciting opportunity. I’m looking forward to it.”
“GT racing in Australia has been on an upward trajectory for some time now, and I’m convinced there are plenty of opportunities to build on the strong foundations that have already been laid. I hope to be able to implement a number of positive initiatives that will further develop the sport and bring benefits to participants, teams and all our stakeholders.”
Ben McLellan, Managing Director of SRO Motorsports Australia, describes Masi’s appointment as a significant asset to the organisation: “We are delighted to welcome someone of Michael’s calibre. Michael brings a wealth of experience from several decades in motorsport and from numerous senior roles. His expertise will help take GT racing in Australia to the next level.”
Michael Masi: Race Director at the controversial 2021 F1 finale
Masi gained international recognition primarily through his role as Formula 1 race director. Following the sudden death of Charlie Whiting, Masi took over the position in 2019 and held it for three seasons.
Masi was particularly in the spotlight during the controversial 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi. His decisions during a late safety car phase led to the race being restarted for one final lap. Max Verstappen subsequently overtook Lewis Hamilton to win the World Championship title for the first time.
The events subsequently sparked intense debate. Following an investigation by the FIA, the structure of race control was changed for the 2022 season and Masi was replaced as Formula 1 race director. However, according to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, Masi was expressly not a ‘scapegoat’.
Masi later returned to Australian motorsport in a leadership role: he took over as chairman of the Supercars Commission and held this position until 2025, having previously worked as deputy race director of the Australian Supercars series, amongst other roles, before his time in Formula 1.