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NEW YORK, NY: Serena Williams (R) and husband Alexis Ohanian attend the “Being Serena” New York Premiere at Time Warner Center in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/WireImage) | Credits: Getty Images
Getty
NEW YORK, NY: Serena Williams (R) and husband Alexis Ohanian attend the “Being Serena” New York Premiere at Time Warner Center in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/WireImage) | Credits: Getty Images
The 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi will go down as one of the most controversial endings to an F1 season. There was a lot of controversy going into the last lap showdown as FIA Race Director Michael Masi had only removed the cars between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the end of the safety car period.
The decision meant that Hamilton was a sitting duck when Verstappen attacked and passed him on the last lap. The decision did not sit well with many Hamilton fans and they blamed Masi for Lewis’ loss by manipulating the rules. In a recent post, Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams’s husband, also took a dig at Masi while he was on a trip to Disney World.
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Serena Williams’ husband fires shots at F1 Race Director
Alexis Ohanian took to social media to throw shade at Masi. He mentioned that the winner in the Disney World car race is fixed just like in F1.
I had to explain to Jr that no matter how fast we went or how well we raced in this DisneyWorld racecar, the winner was already chosen … Probably picked by Michael Masi 😆😆 pic.twitter.com/UFvHwv6x2Z
— Alexis Ohanian 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ (@alexisohanian) January 6, 2022
“I had to explain to Jr, that no matter how fast we went or how well we raced in this DisneyWorld racecar, the winner was already chosen … Probably picked by Michael Masi.” said Ohanian.
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 12, 2021, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during the race REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah
Fans across the globe have been asking F1 to fire Michael Masi after the controversy. But Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes that firing Masi won’t solve the problem in the sport.
“It’s a bigger problem. My values are simply not compatible with the decisions that were made. It is not just about replacing the race director. The whole decision-making system must be improved.
It’s one thing to drive hard and have different points of view between drivers and teams. That’s normal. But inconsistent decisions inevitably lead to controversy, much of it totally unnecessary.” said Wolff.
Well, it is clear that many fans have not yet forgotten the events of the Abu Dhabi GP. But firing shots or taking digs at Michael Masi won’t change the results. As Wolff correctly mentioned, the whole decision-making of the sport has to improve so that the events of Abu Dhabi do not happen again.
READ MORE: Where Do the F1 Drivers Stay in Abu Dhabi?
