Formula 1 race director Michael Massey has been sacked after allegations he helped Max Verstappen win the world championship.
Now he speaks for the first time about the time after the end of the season.
I received death threats, says Michael Massey.
Race director Michael Massey received a lot of criticism after his decision to bring in a safety car during the last race last year in Abu Dhabi.
mercedes Lewis Hamilton Red Bulls Max Verstappen Face the end of the gas hugging as the race winner will win the world championship.
He was called in the safety car
– There were some dark days. I still remember thinking I was fine but then I started looking behind my shoulder the whole time. Massey tells Sydney’s Daily Telegraph I’ve checked with people to see if they’re looking for me.
At the end of the race, Williams Nicholas Latifi crashed and a safety car was called. Hamilton was up front, the championship in hand, when Verstappen opted to dig and change tyres. With a lap left, Massey called up the safety car and with new tires in the Red Bull, Hamilton’s Mercedes couldn’t keep up and Verstappen eventually won.
Direct death threats
Mercedes appealed the decision but withdrew the appeal after the race director was sacked.
I felt like the most hated man in the world. People said they would come after me and my family, and I received direct death threats, says Massey.
The former race director does not want to talk about his dismissal because he entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the FIA. On the other hand, he says, the six months since the decision in December have been a nightmare.
– There were more and more letters, hundreds. Not only on Facebook, but also on Linkedin, which should be a job related page.
