The controversial final of the 2021 season forced the FIA to take measures before the start of the 2022 championship. With Michael Masi removed, the Federation has chosen to have two subjects, Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, supported from a Remote Operations Center – the equivalent of the VAR in F1.
Despite the changes, even in the first third of the 2022 season there was no lack of criticism of the race direction from teams and drivers who complained of a lack of consistency.
The latest controversial episode occurred in Monaco, when Max Verstappen ended up in Ferrari’s crosshairs for driving his Red Bull’s left wheels over the pit lane exit line without receiving any penalty.
Even obstacle maneuvers between drivers have often seen different evaluation criteria and this discrepancy of judgment has prompted Valtteri Bottas to affirm that a race director would be better than two, while Kevin Magnussen stressed how much more difficult it is now to understand the rules.
Yuki Tsunoda’s criticism was much more severe: “I don’t trust the FIA, it’s not consistent. I have already received four reprimands and for the last one in Munich I still don’t know why ”.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto also admitted some concern over the lack of consistency, but also stressed that it is the teams’ job to try to help the race directors.
“If I look at the start of the season as Ferrari we cannot be satisfied because we have often been disadvantaged by decisions, but that’s the way things are. We understand the difficulties and I think that to improve we should help them too ”.
“I think there has to be a collaboration between the teams and the referees to make sure they understand and improve as quickly as possible.”
“It cannot be denied that up to now, this season, there has been a lack of consistency in decisions, but it cannot be denied that it is a simple job either.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18
Photo by: Erik Junius
Toto Wolff also expressed himself on the same wavelength as Binotto. According to the Mercedes team principal, the teams should have some empathy towards the referees when mistakes are made.
“As Mattia said it is a difficult job because you are also in the spotlight and in the case of Monaco, with the chaos due to the weather conditions, having to make sudden decisions is very complex”.
“I think that as the races go by they will gain experience and be able to manage the pressure that Formula 1 brings with it.”
“Teams make mistakes, for example if you don’t screw a wheel correctly at a pit stop or if you make a mistake in your strategy. In the same way even the referees can make mistakes “.
Who seemed most benevolent to Wittich and Freitas was Gunther Steiner. The Haas team principal stressed how the consequences of the Abu Dhabi final will be felt for a long time and will continue to keep the attention on the race directors, but stressed how the two substitutes from Masi are doing a good job.
“After the Abu Dhabi race, the race director is even more in the spotlight than in the past. Everyone is in the sights and every little mistake is criticized more than before. We need to give them some time. Having never played the role of race directors in Formula 1, I think they are doing a good job ”.
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