Formula One race directors and the stewards have been a point of contention among the sport’s drivers, teams and the fan base, particularly after the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The race director at the time, Michael Masi, was removed from his role before the 2022 season began, and Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas filled his shoes. The move stemmed from the FIA's review of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale, which resulted in Max Verstappen not only winning but also being dubbed world champion.
Although a new era has begun in Formula One, there have been moments the stewards and race directors have arguably fallen short. Fernando Alonso highlighted incidents at Miami where the stewards “were not very professional” and that he has not seen any improvement from the FIA this season.
