Replacing the late Charlie Whitiꦉng was always going to be a difficult task for Michael Masi in 2019.

Acting as an understudy to Whiting, Masi was deputy race director in Formula 2 and Formula 3 for 2017 before gaining additioꦯnal responsibilities for the following year.

Just three days ahead of the 201♈9 season-opener in Melbourne, the shocking news that Whiting had died surfaced.

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Masi was the obvious replacement, holding the role 💜from 2019 ♓to the end of 2021.

Respected by the F1 drivers, unfortunately for Masi, his handling of the title finale between Leꦓwis Hamilton and Max Verstappen was one error too far.

Here are five high-profileꦰ errors during his three years in charge:

2020 Turkish GP

Conditions were tricky on F1’s return to Istanbul Park in 2020, catch⛦ing out Williams’ Nicholas Latifi at the end of Q1.

A recovery crane was sent out ওon🙈to the circuit to recover his car.

Despite the crane still being on the run-off area, Q2🍎 resumed aඣs normal with the remaining 15 cars heading out on track.

There were still yellow flags waving where the crane was situated at Turn 8, when the session should have been🦩 delayed for Latifi’s car to be completely recovered, particularly how slippery and challenging conditions were that weekend.

“We released the cars from the pitlane🎐 as the recovery vehicle was moving to the escape road," Masi explained in 2020. "Following information given to Race Control by the Clerk of the Course that the vehicle would be clear of the track before the car🏅s on their out laps reached Turn 8 where the recovery was taking place.

“As soon as it became apparent that the recovery vehicle had been delayed in🧜 moving completely into the barrier opening, we extended the area of double-waved yellow flags from Turn 8 to the entry point of Turn 7 to further slow down the car🌜s on their out laps.

“Clearly this is not a sce💟nario we want to see, and with the ben🦄efit of hindsight we would have done it differently and held the cars until the recovery was completed.

“We will review our procedurಞes to minimise the likelihood of similar i⛎ncidents in future.”

2020 Emilia Romagna GP

During the laಞtter stages of the 2020 Emilia Romagna GP, lapped cars were allowed to overtake 💖the Safety Car to re-join the leading lap.

However, marshals were still out on the circuit as they were clearing the track following George Russell’s shunt at Acque ꦍMinerale.

Lance Stroll - who was driving for Racing Point at the time - encountered a group of marshals on the circuit, despi💃te not be🔜ing warned.

“I wasn’t warned and I wasn’t expecting to see anyone on ꦺthe track once I got the message that I was allowed to overtake the Safety Car and catch the back of the train,” Stroll said. 

“Thankfully there was nothing bad that happened there but for sure we’ll have to address it and make sure that something 🎉like that doe🍸sn’t happen again.”

2021 Azerbaijan GP

Verstappen’s tyre blowout on Lap 46 of the Azerbaijan GP was a dramatic one, costing the Dutchman an easy victory in Baku - a serious dent to 🌠his title hopes.

It took appro🦋ximately 90 seconds for the Safety Car to be deployed despit♎e Verstappen’s hefty shunt.

“That’s a joke, that’s a jo♒ke,” Leclerc said over team radio when driving past Verstappen’s crashed car in Baku 2021.

“Put the fu--ing safety car out straight away, why are they 🐎waitౠing?” 

The race was ultimatℱel💙y red-flagged with two laps to go.

2021 Belgian GP

The♌ treacherous conditions at the🐻 2021 Belgian GP made it another difficult weekend for Masi.

Despite cond꧒itions being visibly worse, Q3 resumed.

Lando Nꩲorris was the first to drive in the heavy downpour but soon aquaplaned out of Raidillon.

Norris, who had been favourite to take pole position after the first two segme﷽nts, crashed heavily, leading to a red flag period.

After qualifying, Masi a🌄dmitted it was a mistake to start Q3.

"I spoke to a number of drivers [on Saturday] night to get th🌃eir feedback and they gave me some very constructive feedback🍌," Masi said.

"So yes, hindsight's an amazing♌ thing. And based on what they told me, having experienced the conditionꦬs at this circuit and all of the rest of it, we probably wouldn't have started.

"But that's also a benefit of hindsight with them having driven on this circuit in those conditions, because each circuit is a bit differen🅘t to the way the water comes off, with the way the tyres react, etcetera. You have to treat everything on its merits."

2021 Abu Dhabi GP

The mistake that ulܫtimately cost him his job came at the 2021 Abꦿu Dhabi GP - the title decider between Hamilton and Verstappen.

The ꩲpoint of controversy came under the Safety Car, caused by Latifi.

At this point, Hamilton had a number of 𝐆lapped cars between himself and Verstappen (who switched to soft tyres and was significantly quicker as a result).

With two laps t♒o go, Masi only allowed a handful of lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car to ensure the race could resume on the final lap and thus, the title could be decided on track.

This contr💦avened the regulations as Masi should have let all of the lapped cars overtak🧔e or none.

Had he fol👍lowed the rules correctly, it’s likely Hamilton would have won the championship hence the sizeable fallout afterwards and Masi ultimately losing his job.