Red Bull chief Christian Horner has claimed that former FIA race director Michael Masi received death threats following his handling of the Abu Dhabi finale in 2021.
Masi was sacked last week as race director after his controversial safety car ruling at the Yas Marina circuit, which led to Max Verstappen benefitting and overtaking arch rival Lewis Hamilton in a single lap shootout after the Brit originally was cruising to his eighth world title.
After Hamilton was cruelly denied a record-breaking eighth world championship, Masi came under attack for his role and Horner, who saw his driver Verstappen win his first ever title in Abu Dhabi, has since revealed the Australian was subjected to vile death threats.
Horner also revealed that Masi's family have also been targeted following the conclusion to the rollercoaster 2021 campaign.
Horner said: "The lack of support that was shown to Michael was disappointing, especially at a time when mental health is so prevalent.
"To hear that his family and he received death threats is not right.
"An awful lot of pressure was put on the FIA to deal with him. And I made it clear in last week's meeting in London that there should have been more support for him. I was disappointed that nobody shared that opinion.
"I have had an exchange with Michael to wish him well. But the whole experience was very, very tough for him."
Horner's comments come after world champion Verstappen slammed F1 chiefs for throwing Masi under the bus following his sacking.
Verstappen recently said: "Of course people talk about what was decided in Abu Dhabi but can you imagine a referee in whatever sport has the coach or equivalent screaming in his ear all the time?
"'Yellow card, red card, no decision, no foul. It's impossible to make a decision.
"That F1 allowed that team members could talk to him while making decisions is very wrong. It needed to be Michael making decisions on his own without people screaming in his ear."
He added: "The people who sacked him allowed that in the first place. For me (that) is unacceptable and now to sack him I find it really incredible.
"I feel very sorry for Michael because he was very capable and a good race director.
"I have nothing against the new race directors. They are also very capable and good but I felt sad for Michael and I sent him a text."
