Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has voiced the Scuderia's support for the changes being made by the FIA in response to the events of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Earlier this week, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem outlined changes being made to the race governance structure, with former Race Director Michael Masi ousted from his role. In his place, Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich will share the role on alternating weekends, with support coming from permanent advisor and former Deputy Race Director Herbie Blash. Alongside the personnel changes, the FIA will introduce a 'Virtual Race Control Room', using the latest technologies to provide further support. Binotto, speaking with reporters during the launch of Ferrari's 2022 F1 car, said that the changes being made were not easy decisions to be taken on the part of the FIA. "What happened in Abu Dhabi has been over-discussed, over-analysed [for] months and weeks," Binotto told media, including RacingNews365.com . "The fact that it took so long, I think it shows us the complexity of the matter. There is nothing obvious. "What happened there, I think the fact there is such a complexity, it's very difficult to say anything was made wrong or right or [whether there were] any mistakes or not."
Ferrari express sympathy for Masi
Binotto also expressed some sympathy towards the beleaguered Masi, saying that the pressure of the situation was completely understandable. "Certainly, I think, when you are taking such decisions, you are always under a lot of pressure in the heat of the action," he said. "I think that is true for the FIA, true for the teams, whoever is working in that difficult environment. Because the pressure is certainly very, very high. "The communications from teams to the Race Director certainly [didn't] help. So overall, it was not an obvious situation. [It was] a difficult decision to take." But, with the FIA having made the changes, Binotto says the governing body have the trust of the Ferrari and urged other teams to take a similar stance. "I think we all need to fully trust the FIA for its independence and its capacity to take the right decision to move forward," he commented. "In that respect, we can only support it so, as Ferrari, we support certainly the decision of its new chairman (Ben Sulayem) and the entire FIA. "I think we [Ferrari] certainly will continue to collaborate [with the FIA] for a better, improved future for our racing."
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