Michael Masi demonstrated his 'fantastic resilience' in the wake of his sacking as the FIA race director.
It was confirmed last week that Masi would be leaving the role he assumed in 2019, amid the fallout from last year's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Masi is yet to publicly address his departure, but Eugene Arocca, the CEO of Motorsport Australia, revealed he reached out to his compatriot and received a response.
"He's a personal friend," Arocca said. "I've known him as long as I've been involved in motorsport, which goes back ten years. We've become good buddies.
"It's personally disappointing and devastating for me to see what has occurred. It's been a tortuous two or three months of discussion, debate, criticism, public airing of view.
"You have to have a hide that's pretty thick to be able to withstand all that and come out the other end feeling okay.
"Based on the fact that he responded this morning, and he was obviously pretty flat, he's a man who's got fantastic resilience."
Meanwhile, Red Bull chief Christian Horner said Masi's dismissal was harsh, and was critical of the external pressure that preceded the FIA's decision to remove the Australian.
“It’s a difficult one. It’s the FIA’s business. I think it is harsh. I think he was in a very difficult position last year,” Horner told talkSPORT .
“I just think there was so much pressure put on the removal of Michael and that’s not right. That’s my personal feeling.”
On the controversial manner in which Red Bull driver Max Verstappen clinched the world title, Horner added: “It was an intense period. You have to look at the season over the 22 races. We had a lot of decisions go against us earlier in the year and penalties that weren’t awarded and so on.
“We got a little bit lucky at the end and sometimes that happens in sport, it’s not over until the whistle goes or the flag falls.
“Tactically, we were sharp at the end. When the crash came five laps from the end we reacted immediately.
“We got Max in, pitted him for a new set of tyres, Mercedes left Lewis out on what was 44-lap tyres at the end of their life.
“Max had to make that pass on the last lap, which he did. There has been some hiding around the controversy.
“The bottom line was that tactically we got it right. Max delivered the move and became the world champion.”
