Former race director Michael Masi revealed he had received death threats online after the controversy last year allowing Max Verstappen to claim the Formula 1 world title.
The Australian changed the safety car restart procedure at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December, a move that handed the crown to Red Bull’s Verstappen, denying Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton a record eighth title in the process.
“There were some dark days,” Masi told News Corp. on Sunday. “And absolutely, I felt like I was the most hated man in the world. I got death threats. People said they would come after me and my family.”
Masi’s decision to allow overlapping cars between leader Hamilton and Verstappen to allow the Mercedes driver and safety car to drive saw the Dutchman pass the reigning champion on the final lap and claim the title.
A subsequent report on the Abu Dhabi race in March found that Masi had made a “human error” but acted in good faith.
Masi, who left the FIA’s governing body in March, has been the subject of a torrent of abuse on social media.
“They were shocking,” Masi said of messages he received on Facebook. “Racist, abusive, mean, they called me every name under the sun.
“And they just kept coming. Not just on my Facebook, but also on my LinkedIn, which should be a professional platform for businesses. It was the same kind of abuse.”
The 44-year-old has since returned to Australia and has not sought professional help in the wake of the incident.
“I didn’t want to talk to anyone,” he said.
“Not even family and friends. I only spoke to my immediate family – but very briefly.
“It did have a physical impact, but it was more mental. I just wanted to be in a bubble. I didn’t feel like talking to them. I just wanted to be alone, which was very challenging.
“The whole experience has made me a much stronger person,” he added.