Former Formula 1 race director Michael Masi has been appointed as the new head of sporting at SRO Motorsports Australia, the organisation responsible for running GT World Challenge Australia as part of its Shannons SpeedSeries network.
The appointment is described as effective immediately, though Masi will undergo an official handover period before assuming the role on a full-time basis from 2027.
As part of that transition, he will attend the final two rounds of the 2026 season in Sydney and Adelaide.
Masi held the position of F1 race director between 2019 and 2021, a tenure that ended in the wake of the infamous Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale.
In his new capacity, Masi will be responsible for the organisation's rules and regulations, oversight of race officials including the stewards, and aligning SRO Motorsports Australia with the broader SRO Global processes and best practices.
Reacting to the news, Masi expressed enthusiasm for the challenge ahead: "This is an extremely exciting opportunity to be part of the next chapter for SRO Motorsports Australia, and I'm looking forward to continuing the great work that has already been done by the team and particularly Abi [Hay]."
"GT racing in Australia has been on a steady rise, and I'm confident there is plenty of opportunity to continue building on the strong foundations that have already been established."
"I'm looking forward to working with everyone involved and hopefully implementing some positive initiatives that can further develop the sport and deliver benefits for competitors, teams and all of our stakeholders."
SRO Motorsports Australia CEO Ben McMellan was equally positive about bringing Masi on board: "We are delighted to have someone of Michael's stature joining SRO Motorsports Australia for the remainder of the 2026 season and beyond."
"Michael brings an enormous amount of experience from decades spent at the top positions of motorsport, and we're confident his knowledge and expertise will help take GT racing in Australia to the next level."
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