Watch the extended interview with the Formula 1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali and Martin Brundle during Sky Sports F1's Bahrain GP coverage this weekend; Action starts with practice on Friday before Saturday qualifying and Sunday's race
Friday 18 March 2022 06:15, UK
Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali has denied that the sport needs to rebuild trust following last year's dramatic Abu Dhabi GP title decider, but has urged the FIA to make changes and learn lessons to take a "step forward".
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle ahead of the 2022 season-opener in Bahrain, Domenicali also defended F1's credibility, and had his say on the new refereeing structure and his concerns.
The controversial decisions from race director Michael Masi that culminated in Max Verstappen overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of 2021's Abu Dhabi GP for the race and title win have understandably dominated much of the off-season in F1, despite the many exciting changes coming in for this year.
Brundle, interviewing Domenicali, says that many fans still believe the last race was a "fix" - which the F1 CEO and president vehemently denied.
"I have not for a single second in my mind thought that was something built on purpose," he said. "As a sportsman, if I thought that was the case, I would not be there.
"And I can guarantee that from Formula 1's perspective, that is not the case."
Domenicali was also asked about "rebuilding trust", to which he replied: "I think to be honest the trust is already there.
"We had last week a meeting with all the promoters. Almost all of where we're going are sold out, that means Formula 1 is not that problem and it means the trust is there."
The FIA, F1's governing body, has conducted a review into the Abu Dhabi decider. They are due to reveal their findings from how the final laps unfolded after a World Motor Sport Council meeting this Saturday, although have already made changes with the under-fire Masi dropped as race director for 2022.
Domenicali believes his removal was a way of "protecting" Masi, as the pressure was intense and the structure couldn't support him at the time. He also defended F1's credibility.
"What we need to avoid is a personal discussion," he said. "We are all human beings. You may say you are performing well as a driver, as a team, as a referee - but this is not relevant to the credibility of the sport if the sport can take all the lessons in order to improve that.
"The credibility is passing through this kind of action and this is what we're expecting the FIA to take on board in preparation of the next year."
Masi has been replaced by two race directors this season, Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich, who will rotate over the planned 23-race calendar, while there will also be assistance from a VAR-like control room.
Stressing that he, like many others, is intrigued to see the FIA's report from Abu Dhabi and wants actions implemented, Domenicali said: "I want to see the facts on making sure that the FIA as a regulator as sport will be able to start this weekend in the best way they can.
"In terms of giving to the race director and all the people involved in the decision-making process, stewards and so on, the right tools to do the best job that they can."
But the F1 chief also admitted that he wanted to avoid a "committee" setup of making decisions, which the new structure risks.
"Race direction has to be an entity organised in the proper way but the race director is a person who has to take the right decision," he said. "He can take the right decision if he is well supported, if he has all the tools that are available for him to make this judgement.
"But you don't have time to make a committee, you need to make sure that all what you have around you is enabling you to take the right decision."
Domenicali then said that he hopes the FIA's report into Abu Dhabi is made public in full.
"The aim is to have a step forward to move forward from Abu Dhabi," he continued. "We're already in Bahrain, so there is no need to talk with a different approach rather than to say what we learn as regulator from that last race."
The extended interview with Stefano Domenicali and Martin Brundle will be played out during our Bahrain GP coverage this weekend; The Formula 1 season begins on Friday on Sky Sports F1 with the Bahrain GP. Sunday's race starts at 3pm. Find out more & subscribe.
