The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile is looking to other sports like football and rugby with the goal of learning lessons that can be then be used to improve the Formula 1 race direction.
The motorsport governing body confirmed its plan to improve race direction at Formula 1 events has completed its first phase. The Race Direction Development Programme was launched by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and aims to improve how Formula 1 races are run after the controversial events which took place in the last round of the previous season at the Yas Marina circuit.
Following the 2021 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Australian motorsports official Michael Masi was removed from his position of overseeing the logistics of a Formula One racing weekend, ensuring all cars, tracks, and drivers conform to FIA regulations before, during, and after a race. The FIA felt Michael Masi did not properly follow the rules in the final restart of the race, as Red Bull’ Max Verstappen overtook the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and secured the 2021 Formula 1 title.
Information supplied by the FIA’s Race Operations Centre (ROC) in Geneva was used in a review of recent grands prix with officials who attended them. This innovation, similar to football’s Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, has been used by the sport following the investigation into the events of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix found several issues with the process of making decisions.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
The FIA has also held talks with representatives of the international sports organisations for football and rugby in order to learn from their refereeing procedures. Representatives of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, a supplier of football referees, will be at the Yas Marina circuit for the final round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“The Race Direction Development Programme is designed to improve our race direction operations as part of our ongoing efforts to bring rigour and best practice to the governance of the sport,” said Mohammed Ahmad Sultan Ben Sulayem . “It also builds on the implementation of the ROC to support our race operations. The programme will also help us identify emerging talent so we can grow our pool of race directors, stewards and officials for the future.”
The Formula 1 race direction procedures suffered another setback last Sunday at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. The Safety Car was deployed after Lando Norris parked his car on the side, but one of the three drivers who should have been allowed to unlap themselves, Yuki Tsunoda, was overlooked. A similar mistake was partially made in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
An FIA spokesperson said “all of the systems functioned correctly and according to the regulations,” and “the unusual situation arose as a result of the idiosyncrasies of the specific circuit and scenario”.
Leave a Reply