The FIA has chosen not to disclose the findings of its inquiry into the controversial ending of the Formula One world championship-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last season. The sport’s governing body presented its report to the teams on Monday but has stated after discussions at the F1 commission that it will only reveal plans of proposed changes in the forthcoming days.
There is no indication, however, that the FIA will make the findings of its investigation public, which will not be welcomed by many who felt the sport’s very integrity was put at risk by events at the 2021 season finale. The FIA, for which this is a real test of governance and for the leadership of the newly appointed president Mohammed ben Sulayem, had been expected to share the findings of its investigation publicly but instead issued a short statement.
“The FIA president led detailed discussions of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,” it read. “Feedback from the commission on matters raised will be incorporated into the president’s analysis and he will publicly present news of structural changes and action plan in the coming days.”
After protests from Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team in Abu Dhabi were dismissed by the FIA stewards, the organisation came under fire for “marking its own homework”. Similar accusations are likely to be raised if only proposed changes are announced and details of the findings of its investigation are not presented.
Max Verstappen won in Abu Dhabi after the race director Michael Masi improvised around the rules in order to try to ensure the race did not finish behind a safety car, specifically in the way backmarkers could unlap themselves and in how long the safety car had to remain on track after they had begun to do so.
Masi’s actions faced even greater scrutiny after he appeared to be reacting to pressure from radio communications with Verstappen’s Red Bull team. It allowed Verstappen on new tyres to attack and pass Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to secure his first title. Masi’s future remains in doubt and F1 under scrutiny as it attempts to draw a line under the controversial close to the 2021 season.
After the equally controversial decision to count two laps behind the safety car at last year’s washed out Belgian Grand Prix as a race and award half points, the FIA has proposed rule changes on races shortened because of bad weather. Two laps without the safety car or virtual safety car will be required in future to count as a race and a percentage scale applied for points according to how much of the race has been completed. The commission also approved three sprint race events this year at Imola, Austria and Brazil.
- Guardian
