Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims ex-Formula 1 director Masi was disrespectful' to drivers

Toto Wolff during the Australian GP 2022. Picture/ AFP

Mercedes motor racing team's boss Toto Wolff has claimed that ex-Formula 1 director Masi was "disrespectful" to drivers. "You hear from the drivers and how the drivers' briefings were conducted (by Masi) and some of the guys said it was almost disrespectful how he treated some of them," Wolff said in an interview with the Press Association during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

"There is a promoter of one of the races in the Middle East who said he was so relieved he had gone because he got so much abuse from "im," he added. The Mercedes boss hit out at Masi, claiming he did not take constructive criticism. "It is quite interesting because I had lunch with him (Masi) on the Wednesday before the race (in Abu Dhabi), and I said to him that 'I really want to tell you, without patronising you, that you need to take criticism on board and develop from there'," Wolff was quoted as saying by Foxsports.com.au.

"Lewis (Hamilton) does it every day, but you are the guy who always seems to know better. It wasn't about influencing him but really giving my honest feedback that he shouldn't block outside opinion as simply being wrong," he said. For the 2022 season, Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas are sharing the race director role, already making headlines after a strange revival of regulations surrounding the wearing of body piercings, metal chains and jewellery during competition -- almost entirely impacting Hamilton.

Wolff was generally positive about the two new race directors but questioned Wittich's jewellery call. "How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn't put a single foot wrong," said Wolff. "But is that (jewellery ban) a battle he needs to have at this stage? However, if it turns out to be the biggest unfortunate misstep of a race director, I would take it a thousand times over," he said.

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