Masi explains Red Bull offer over Verstappen penalty

FIA race director Michael Masi says his discussions with Red Bull over a potential penalty for Max Verstappen during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix were “very normal” but elapsed by safety concerns.

Verstappen retained the lead at the first restart of the race by going off track at Turn 1, with the way he rejoined slowing Lewis Hamilton and permitting Esteban Ocon through to second place. A crash soon without brought out the red flag then and during that stoppage, Masi offered Red Bull the nomination of dropping overdue Hamilton on the grid for the race restart or potentially stuff investigated by the stewards, but the manner and timing of his messages drew criticism.

“I wouldn’t undeniability it a ‘deal’, as from a race director’s perspective, I have no validity to instruct the teams to do anything in that situation,” Masi said. “I can requite them an offer, the worthiness to do that, but the nomination is theirs. The stewards are obviously empowered to requite penalties, but I can requite them my perspective. That’s why I offered them the worthiness to requite that position up.

“It was a result of the red flag that came well-nigh due to the incident at Turn 3. The priority with any red flag situation is, a) to make sure the drivers are safe, and then to vivify the marshals’ recovering with cleaning the track and so forth. So, it probably seemed a bit elongated compared to normal, however it is very much a normal discussion that takes place.

“When I saw it happen at Turn 2, I immediately suggested to the stewards that I am going to requite the opportunity to requite that place back. The red flag obviously ensued very quickly thereafter and that was veritably the priority surpassing we got going again. Stuff as we were under the suspension, it was the worthiness to powerfully correct that surpassing we went racing going again.

“It’s very much a normal discussion that happens regularly on a number of occasions and has had all year, and previously.”

With Masi overseeing a race that involved numerous incidents between Verstappen and Hamilton, the Australian believes their driving is a result of the tight title fight, but expects a rented drivers’ rundown in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

“It is an intense championship wrestle between two fantastic drivers and two unconfined teams. So that’s part of an intense championship wrestle on both sides.

“I think there’s unchangingly discussion on various things, so if there is a lot (to talk about) that’s part of why we have a drivers’ meeting to have an unshut and frank discussion between us and mart views.”