In a talk with the media before the presentation of the AMR22, Vettel was asked about the outcome of Abu Dhabi and Hamilton’s reasons for being upset with the FIA for how Masi ordered the last safety car of the season to go (without all the drivers with lost laps being split). The German admitted certain inconsistencies to relaunch the race that gave Verstappen the title, “this is a sport before a show”, but defended Masi.
“I’m not a man of the past, there’s not much point in looking back too much. The sport doesn’t have two winners, it doesn’t work like that. I was in the race and I was wondering why we weren’t released sooner. (to the bent ones) to make the exit, but there are some protocols. The main thing is that there is clarity with these situations,” he said at the beginning.
Regarding Hamilton’s anger and Masi’s continuity, he got wet: “I don’t know if Lewis thought about leaving him, you have to ask him. He is competitive, I don’t know if he has confirmed that he is going to run, I don’t know the last minute. About Michael, there are two interests, sports and show business. I’m not worried about the show, this is a competitive sport. It is not easy to be in the position of the referee, Michael, I think he’s done a great job since he came after Charlie (White) and has been very focused to do a great job. I don’t know what his future is, but I hope it continues. There is a lot of controversy over the last race, but there shouldn’t be. If you look at it with perspective, he has done very well.”
Another issue outside of sport that was discussed was the change that F1 prepares for the pre-race ceremony, which will eliminate the anti-racism minute before the national anthem as it is now formulated. Some pilots, like Hamilton or Vettel, knelt. “I was surprised (to be deleted). The problems we combat have not disappeared in two years. I hope we drivers talk about it, maybe not everyone cares, but some do. Perhaps it was too strong a message from a business point of view.”