Masi: Offer for Red Bull to swap positions ‘a normal discussion’

FIA Formula 1 race director Michael Masi says his offer for Red Bull to concede pole position for the restart in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was “a normal discussion”.

In an incident-filled race, which included two red flag stoppages, the second race restart was due to have Max Verstappen start on pole ahead of Esteban Ocon and championship rival Lewis Hamilton.

But at the first restart, Hamilton had a better launch than Verstappen off the grid, only for the Red Bull driver – in an attempt to repass at Turn 1 – rejoin the track by bouncing across the kerb and forcing Hamilton wide.

A multi-car pile-up further down the order resulted in the race being halted for a second time, leading to questions whether Verstappen would have to hand the place to Hamilton once the race got underway again.

Masi intervened during the red flag period by offering Red Bull the chance to avoid a potential penalty by falling back behind Hamilton on the grid.

Explaining why he made the offer to Red Bull, Masi said: “I wouldn’t call it a deal as from a race director’s perspective I had no authority to actually instruct the teams to do anything in that situation.

“I can give them an offer and the ability to do that but the choice is theirs.

“The stewards are obviously empowered to impose penalties but I can give them my perspective.

“That’s why I offered them the ability to give that position up.”

Masi said he wasn’t able to evaluate the Verstappen/Hamilton incident immediately as he was in the process of sending recovery vehicles to retrieve the crashed cars that caused the race to be suspended.

“When I saw it happen at Turn 2, I immediately suggested to the stewards that I’m going to give the team the ability to give that place back.

“The red flag obviously ensued very quickly thereafter and that was obviously the priority before we got going again.

“Being under a suspension, it was the ability to effectively correct that before we went racing again.”

He added: “It probably seemed a bit elongated compared to normal. However, it’s very much a normal discussion that takes place.”