Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will sit down with the brand new ruler of System One on Friday to debate the farcical conclusion to final season in a gathering that can go an extended technique to deciding Lewis Hamilton’s future.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a 61-year-old rally driver from Dubai, was voted president of the governing FIA in December, and on the prime of his in-tray is the debacle in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton was denied a hard-earned victory, and a document eighth championship, when the race was restarted after a safety-car section and Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen exploited the brand new tyres he was on — a strategic selection — to energy to victory on the ultimate lap.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff (left) will converse to new F1 ruler Mohammed Ben Sulayem (proper) to debate the farcical conclusion to final season
Lewis Hamilton (left) was denied the F1 title when Max Verstappen pipped him to the road within the essential Abu Dhabi race after a contentious name by F1 race director Michael Masi
Since then Hamilton, 37, has declined to decide to seeing out the rest of his two-year contract with Mercedes.
Mercedes withdrew their authorized motion towards the FIA, believing they don’t have any likelihood of successful an attraction on the premise it might require the FIA to overturn their very own stewards at additional nice injury to the game, however demanded the thorough investigation that’s presently being carried out to restore F1’s integrity.
For now, race director Michael Masi, 42, stays in publish. His place will probably be a key merchandise when Wolff meets Ben Sulayem.
Sources point out Masi’s sacking is a key requirement for Mercedes, although they deny that his departure is a quid professional quo to Hamilton staying on. They search broader reform.
Mercedes will demand that Masi (above) is sacking over the lapped vehicles name in Abu Dhabi
Mercedes star Hamilton is more likely to keep on however the final result of this new assembly will probably be essential
A supply instructed Sportsmail: ‘The Abu Dhabi matter is the primary concern on the brand new president’s agenda. He needs to provide you with a response. The deadline is the World Motor Sport Council assembly on February 3 — however there could also be information earlier than then, such is the urgency of this.’
The FIA appears torn on Masi’s destiny. It’s anticipated his head will roll, however considered one of Ben Sulayem’s chief supporters, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, whose Brazilian spouse Fabiana is the primary girl to be elected vice-president for sport in South America, instructed Sportsmail: ‘I see no purpose in any way why Michael mustn’t proceed in his job.
‘He did what he thought what was greatest. You possibly can say I’d do that or that or the opposite. However it might have been terrible if the ultimate race had ended beneath a security automotive. Michael would have gotten in simply as a lot hassle. He is an effective man and the FIA ought to stick by him.’
It appears doubtless that Hamilton will race on. He’ll obtain no less than £30million a 12 months and he clearly has unfinished enterprise. Tellingly, Mercedes haven’t drawn up a critical contingency record of replacements.