Motorsport

FIA chief Mohammed ben Sulayam has opened the door for disgraced race director Michael Masi to return to the sport.His comments could upset Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, who were left furious by Masi’s “human error” at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Former race director Michael Masi could make a shock return to F1Credit: Getty
Masi’s potential return could anger Lewis Hamilton and MercedesCredit: Rex
The Australian’s mistake during the closing stages of the season-ending race cost Hamilton an historic seventh world title.
Instead, Max Verstappen was able to capitalise on a safety car period to overtake his rival and clinch his maiden championship.
Two years on, FIA president Ben Sulayem has insisted he would not hesitate to bring Masi back.
He told the Press Association: “I always apologise, but I cannot apologise for something which was done before my time.
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“Okay, I will do the apology, but I will bring Michael Masi again. Do you think that is right?
“The poor guy is a person who has been attacked and abused. Michael Masi went through hell. Hell! And if I see there is an opportunity that the FIA needs, and Michael Masi is the right person, I will bring him.”
The incident in 2021 occurred a week before Ben Sulayam became FIA president, with Masi later replaced as race director and left the FIA last year.
His decision to allow the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves with just two laps remaining proved costly for the Brit.
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Verstappen was able to overtake Hamilton on the final lap to win the race and the Drivers’ Championship.
As a result, Hamilton missed out on a record-breaking eighth world title.
He was also denied a fifth consecutive championship, which would have seen him equal Michael Schumacher’s record. More

MAX VERSTAPPEN has broken an “unwritten rule” by not showing up the Formula One drivers’ end of season dinner in Abu Dhabi. The new tradition is supposed to see all 20 drivers come together following the conclusion of the campaign to celebrate over dinner and drinks.
Formula One drivers gathered for dinner in Abu Dhabi following the final Grand Prix of the season
Max Verstappen was nowhere to be seenCredit: Splash
But this year’s meal had a number of notable absentees including world champion Verstappen.
Only 11 of this year’s drivers posed for a picture in the restaurant with the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, George Russell and Daniel Ricciardo all present.
While McLaren stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were with the group, but missed out on the snap around the table.
And despite seven drivers including Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso missing the dinner, it’s Verstappen’s no-show that will cause the biggest stir.
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As the world champion he is on the unfortunate end of an unwritten rule that means he should be the one footing the bill.
Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg previously took to social media to let fans know about the secret ruling, saying: “The hidden agreement usually is that the world champion pays.”
Although that wasn’t the case at last year’s dinner when Verstappen got away with not paying once again.
Instead it was Hamilton that laid down his credit card despite the Dutchman being the champ in 2022.
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And there were no missing drivers that year as they all gathered to say goodbye to the retiring Sebastian Vettel after his last season on the grid.
It was a rare occasion to see all 20 drivers in the same place as Pierre Gasly revealed on the Beyond The Grid podcast.
He said: “I’ll remember that moment forever. It was the first time in five years we all got together.
“That’s what made it so authentic, and that’s probably one of the very few times you’ve seen the real side of people and drivers.
“You’ve always got closer relationships with certain drivers, but it’s almost like on that dinner, from the moment we closed the door, we all took our cap off our heads, and we’re like, ‘Okay, now, it’s just you get whatever you see.'”
As world champion Verstappen was expected to pay for the dinnerCredit: Alamy More

SHOCKING footage has emerged showing a mass brawl between boozed up guests at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.Celebrations from fans at the event got completely out of hand as a huge fight broke out at the £1billion Yas Marina Circuit as guests flung bottles at each other.
A huge brawl broke out at an F1 afterparty on a balcony at the Yas Marina CircuitCredit: X
Men were seen throwing prosecco bottles at each other in the brawlCredit: X
Security struggled to contain the trouble as they were outnumberedCredit: X
Max Verstappen secured his 19th win of the season as the Red Bull driver celebrated being crowned Formula One world champion again in style.
But security had to intervene as revellers brawled at an exclusive event that took place on a balcony overlooking the course that was covered in Red Bull-branded parasols.
The F1 fans in attendance, some of which are said to be British, began hitting each other with bottles and jumping over furniture to get at one another.
Further videos showed more chaotic scenes from what appears to be a race afterparty, and it remains unclear whether there were multiple small fights or if they were linked. 
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One person who claimed to have been at the event and witnessed the scenes shared footage on X and wrote: “Can’t take the British no where can ye.”
The clip starts with a woman yelling at a group of men that were trying to get past her, with security staff separating them.

Then another woman puts her arm around one man’s neck and tries to restrain him from getting involved.
But chaos soon broke out as a number of battles broke out as more people continued to join in.
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One reveller in a red t-shirt could be seen scrambling over white couches to whack someone before they were pulled back, then a man in a white shirt retaliates by striking him.
Anger continued to boil over as several men began using bottles of wine and beer as weapons in the fight.
One throws what looks to be a prosecco bottle straight at another male while others are spotted with larger bottles in the melee.
Security try to hold them back as the red VIP cordons are sent flying to the floor as the staff quickly get outnumbered.
A DJ is then heard telling the gathering crowd “let’s go” before he suddenly realises that trouble has broken out.
He then urges security to go over to a table to deal with the aggressors while Kanye West’s hit ‘All of the Lights’ song is played in the background.
The rapper, 46, was actually among the VIP guests in attendance at the grand prix on Sunday.
A host of other big names, including both Naomi Campbell and Priyanka Chopra, were also spotted at the race.
Red Bull are yet to comment on the incident.
Max Verstappen secured his 19th win of the season at the Abu Dhabi GPCredit: Getty More