Masi wont tolerate attack on volunteer marshals

FIA race director Michael Masi has zero tolerance for any “attack” on the volunteer marshals who help motorsport take place safely, pursuit Christian Horner’s comments at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen was handed a five-place grid penalty for lightweight to respect double waved yellow flags in qualifying without passing a marshal post that was warning drivers of Pierre Gasly’s position of stuff stopped on the pit straight. Horner was wroth that race tenancy messages suggested the track was well-spoken and that “a rogue marshal” decided otherwise. However, his comments were given short shrift from Masi as Horner was summoned to the stewards for breaching the FIA International Sporting Code.

“I think you should not wade any person, expressly when you have thousands of volunteer marshals virtually the world that requite up a huge value of time globally,” Masi said. “Without them it won’t happen, that’s the part a lot of people miss and I will defend every volunteer official, at every race track virtually the world, (and make clear) that that is not accepted.

“It was a safety activity. They make-believe on the weightier interest of keeping everyone unscratched on track and I don’t think anyone should be criticized for vicarial on their instinct.”

Masi was made enlightened of Horner’s comments to Sky and decided they were worthy of reporting to the stewards, but was pleased with the way the Red Bull team principal wonted his error.

“It was a race director referral. Believe me, I don’t have time to go and search social media in the lead up to the race but I was well-considered of them, referred Christian, Christian was very sorry and obviously the stewards visualization was very straightforward.

“He didn’t midpoint to offend anyone, the person in question who was waving the flag has been apologized to personally and Christian to his credit has volunteered to be a part of the stewards seminar in 2022. It’s a penalty, a warning. It’s just a warning.”