13/12/2021
NEWS STORY
Don't blame Michael Masi for the Abu Dhabi sh*t show, for the responsibility goes far higher.
You'll be familiar with the script. The chief of police wants to take action following a spate of crimes however he is under intense pressure from the mayor, who is swayed by public/media pressure, not to mention the desire to keep his job.
There's a maverick detective who wants to do the right thing and nail the villain, but his hands are tied by the chief of police, who, like the mayor, fears for his job.
Maverick cop wants to do his duty but he is suspended, while the media is quick to tarnish his name.
This year we have grown used to the radio calls to Michal Masi from the teams as they lobby the race director for decisions that go in their favour, never more so than during Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Yet while we were privy to their pathetic pleas we never got to hear the other voices feeding into the race director's ear piece, those from Liberty HQ.
Shortly after the end of the 'race', the Daily Mail's website, one of the most visited English language websites in the world, had the events of Sunday's race as its main feature.
The tabloid, whose site features a daily 'sidebar of shame', and whose usual headline features shock and horror involving celebrities, royalty or politicians, deemed the events in Abu Dhabi to be the biggest story of the moment.
This was no doubt influenced by activity on social media where various aspects of the race were trending.
For a media company like Liberty Media this was the jackpot, for while the race had already caught the general public's imagination, as events unfolded the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had surpassed the pandemic, global warming and even events in Ukraine in terms of popularity.
Michael Masi, who was previously race director for F2 and F3 and was appointed assistant to Charlie Whiting - on the Briton's watch - is no idiot, but sadly, like many others currently involved in F1 is a front man.
Much like Ross Brawn and Stefano Domenicali, Masi is there as the 'acceptable face' of F1 for the fans, as Liberty Media is busy pulling the strings behind the scenes.
For Liberty, all publicity really is good publicity, and not content with the excellent season that the players have given us want more. After all, the bottom line is money, and the more people watching, reading and talking F1 the better it is for the coffers... of which Liberty wants a bigger slice.
On social media fans have been arguing how Charlie Whiting would not have done what Michael Masi did however, the fact is that Charlie wouldn't have allowed such a situation to come about. At the first sign of someone, even Bernie, attempting to manipulate him they would have been told politely but firmly to "sod off". Masi, on the other hand, is a patsy, appearing to look a fool as he dithers under pressure from Toto and Christian, while all the time under even greater pressure from the likes of Chase Carey and Greg Maffei.
We have no leanings towards either of the title protagonists, but the fact is that, ignoring the first lap incident, Sunday was Hamilton's race, consequently it was his title.
We do not believe under any circumstances that Nicholas Latifi's crash was anything but an accident, but once it happened the sport's powers that be saw their chance.
It wasn't what happened following that crash that galls it is the sheer blatancy of it all, as if we are being taken for mugs and cannot see what is happening, and what is happening is that the sport is being compromised and manipulated not merely to create a show but the show.
However, having tinkered away, and little by little got what it wanted, a high octane soap opera come thriller for the masses, yesterday it came to back to bite those responsible.
Let's face it, since acquiring the keys to F1, other than the pandemic Liberty hasn't faced ay real problems.
OK, there was some brief resistance from Sergio Marchionne, but no break away threats, no EC investigations, the teams rolled over for the budget cap and much more, even races in Saudi Arabia and Qatar barely raised an eyebrow.
Bernie, on the other hand, had to endure two EC investigations, three breakaways, a criminal trial, two civil trials, Max Mosley's scandal and the long-held desire to impose a budget cap. Not to mention events like Imola 1994.
However, Liberty's easy ride may come to an end as a result of its own actions, for as some fans threaten to walk away, totally disillusioned with what their sport has become, the biggest threat right now is the possibility of Lewis Hamilton following suit.
Ignoring the fact that Sunday may have been his last chance to secure that eighth title the fact is that, like our maverick cop, Lewis knows that the mayor and City Hall have tied his hands, and that even if he gets the goods on the villain, the case will never stand.
Courtesy of the machinations of a media company - a media company - Michael Masi is having his reputation trashed right now, but moving forward, as Liberty seeks to build on what it succeeded in doing this weekend, it is Formula One that will ultimately suffer.
Of course, with Mercedes considering whether to lodge a formal protest, one wonders if Liberty foolishly believes that in reversing Sunday's result even more attention might be drawn to the sport.
Then again, this is what happens when you make up the rules as you go along and merely for your own benefit.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Yas Marina, here.