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Former race director Michael Masi says he obtained dying threats following the controversy that noticed Max Verstappen declare his debut world title final yr.
The 44-year-old failed to use the rules appropriately in a safety-car interval on the finish of December’s ultimate Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.
It led to the Dutchman, 24, passing Britain’s Lewis Hamilton when the race was restarted for one ultimate lap.
Mercedes’ Hamilton, 37, had been heading in the right direction to win an eighth world title.
“There have been some darkish days,” Australian Masi informed Information Corp.
“Completely, I felt like I used to be probably the most hated man on the earth. I bought dying threats. Folks saying they have been going to come back after me and my household.”
An inquiry by motorsport’s governing physique, the FIA, discovered “human error” was accountable for the inaccurate utility of the principles within the 2021 title decider.
A primary world championship victory for Verstappen denied Hamilton a report eighth title.
“They have been stunning,” Masi, who formally left the FIA earlier this month, mentioned of messages he obtained on Fb. “Racist, abusive, vile, they referred to as me each title underneath the solar.
“They usually stored on coming. Not simply on my Fb but additionally on my LinkedIn, which is meant to be knowledgeable platform for enterprise. It was the identical sort of abuse.”
Masi says he simply “needed to be alone” as he tried to take care of the aftermath.
“I did not wish to discuss to anybody,” he mentioned.
“Not even household and mates. I solely talked to my shut household – however very briefly.
“It did have a bodily impression, but it surely was extra psychological. I simply needed to be in a bubble. I had no need to speak to them. I simply needed to be alone, which was very difficult.
“The entire expertise has made me a a lot stronger individual.”
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