Formula one to introduce 'VAR' as part of restructuring plans

Niyi Iyanda 08:20 - 18 February 2022

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressing the media on the proposed changes to Formula one procedures

The FIA President has announced a few structural changes ahead of the new season.

Formula One is seeing a major rejig of its rules and procedures following the controversial way the last season ended.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced a few of these changes on Thursday at an FIA briefing to announce the removal of Michael Masi as race director amidst other changes.

Michael Masi has been removed from his role as race director following the controversy surrounding the Abu Dhabi Grand prix

Ben Sulayem revealed that race control will now have remote assistance from an off-site FIA facility, just like the VAR system in football.

"Firstly, to assist the race director in the decision-making process, a Virtual Race Control Room will be created.

"Like the Video Assistant Referee, VAR, in football, it will be positioned in one of the FIA offices as a backup outside the circuit." the FIA President said.

CAF will introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the 2019 African Cup of Nations

VAR has not been without it's own controversies within the world of football

Additionally, he said that radio communications between race teams and race control would no longer be broadcast and would be strictly controlled.

The particular development is interesting since many people believe that Mercedes and Red Bull pressure the race directors to get favourable results.

This wasn’t a championship race, it was a battle where Lewis Hamilton had to fight @fia @f1 and a whole team collaborating with each other to cheat the rules and make them win. And there is footage to prove it.This isn’t a sport. #WeStandWithLewis #MasiOUT pic.twitter.com/RTJcFC9Inn
— sof (@purplealbumm) February 14, 2022

Speaking on the issue, Ben Sulayem said: "Secondly, direct radio communications during the race, currently broadcast live by all TVs, will be removed in order to protect the race director from any pressure and allow him to take decisions peacefully.

"It will still be possible to ask questions to the race director, according to a well-defined and non-intrusive process.

Ben Sulayem has said that these plans were approved by the F1 chief Stefano Domenicali and the team bosses at their meeting on Monday in London.

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali

These changes follow the intense inquiry opened following how Michael Masi handled the Abu Dhabi season finale which denied Lewis hamilton his eighth F1 championship title.

An FIA spokesman said the report into the failings at Abu Dhabi would be published at this season's opening race in Bahrain on 19 March.

"These changes will enable us to start the 2022 Formula 1 season in the best conditions, and our sport will be even more loved and respected." Ben Sulayem said.

Formula one's return to the circuit is barely a month away as the Bahrain Grand Prix will hold on March 19.