Christian Horner: Key focus on 2022 in giving race director more support after Max Verstappen-Lewis Hamilton drama
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Published 07/02/2022 at 21:38 GMT
The 2021 Formula One season ended in huge controversy as Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Watch on the last lap in Abu Dhabi. The results of an inquiry into the race have not yet been released, but Red Bull boss Christian Horner has spoken about his expectations moving forward. Watch every moment of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on discovery+
Christian Horner (Red Bull) - GP of Qatar 2021
Image credit: Getty Images
Red Bull boss Christian Horner expects there to be a “key focus” on giving Formula One’s race director more support after the controversial finish to last season.
F1's current race director Michael Masi came under intense scrutiny for his handling of the Abu Dhabi and in particular the final-lap decision that allowed Max Verstappen to overtake Lewis Hamilton and win the title.
It is not yet known if Masi will return to the role, with an inquiry into the race ongoing, but Horner thinks there will be changes.
"The new FIA president [Mohammed bin Sulayem] has put a key focus on this and I think there's a big drive to make sure the race director has better support," Horner told Sky Sports News.
"The tools we have at our disposal are far in advance of Michael and his team.
"So I think there's been a lot of focus over the winter and I think you'll see that role better supported, which will hopefully enable decisions to be easier and swifter, but I think we've also got to look at the regulations to simplify them as well."
Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, is expected to propose some changes to how races are managed at the F1 commission meeting on February 14.
The 23-race season starts in Bahrain on March 20.
McLaren boss Zak Brown said he was confident F1 would "regain its credibility" after last season’s controversial decider.
"It can definitely regain its credibility," said Brown. "It's not the first time we've had an ump or a referee make a controversial call.
"This one happened to be pretty big. But I think the sport will have learned by it.
"The only thing I'm a little bit disappointed about is that we might share those results at the first race of the year.
"It doesn't take that long to do an investigation. Let's get it done, let's go to the first race of the year talking about the first race of the year - not the last race of last year."
It has been reported that the results of the FIA’s inquiry into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will not be announced until the eve of the opening weekend of the 2022 season.
Hamilton is yet to say whether he will be racing this season and may be awaiting until the results to make a decision.
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