Lando Norris spoke about the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 and the decision made by FIA race director Michael Masi
Why Michael Masi did what he did at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 is something the FIA stewards have tried to explain as per Article 15.3 of the FIA Safety Regulations Rules. After Mercedes lodged a double protest in the aftermath of the race which Max Verstappen won, the stewards dismissed the protest filed under a breach of article 48.12.
Lando Norris Flummoxed With FIA Director Michael Masi And His Decision At The Abu Dhabi GP 2021
While Mercedes went onto file an intention of appeal with the side having 96 hours to take the protest forward into FIA’s International Court of Appeal, it has now been learnt that the side has decided against doing so. The team’s Toto Wolff has refrained himself from continuing to take up things legally in a bid to protect the reputation of the sport.
The brouhaha which has since erupted has divided the world of F1 into two. While there has been some support for Michael Masi with Sebastian Vettel amongst one of the drivers who agreed with what the FIA bigwig did, Lando Norris wasn’t quite so impressed.
“At first we weren’t allowed to overtake, as the backmarkers, so if that influenced decisions to Mercedes and to Lewis and that’s the reason they didn’t do their pit-stop.
“But then the FIA suddenly changed their minds and they were allowed to let us past. That’s where I’m not so sure. For it to end like that, I’m not so sure,” Norris said of Masi’s move to allow five cars to overtake as the race resumed after previously claiming no overtaking would be allowed as the safety car deployed in the aftermath of Nicholas Latifi’s crash.