Ex-champion deletes tweet warning F1 removing video of controversial Masi-Red Bull communication wasn’t a ‘wise move’

Unheard radio communication between Michael Masi and Red Bull during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix came to light earlier this month.

1996 world champion Damon Hill has deleted a tweet he had posted on Monday reacting to Formula 1 taking down a video uploaded to Twitter due to copyright infringement.

The video was shared earlier in the month and showed previously unheard radio communication between Michael Masi and Red Bull towards the end of 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Specifically, Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley tells Masi: “Those lapped cars; you don’t need to let them go right the way around and catch up with the back of the pack.

“You only need to let them go, and then we’ve got a motor race on our hands.”

The race director, who has come under intense fire since the season finale, replied “Understood” to Wheatley’s message.

And, following Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff telling Masi that the end to the race was “so not right”, the Australian replied: “Toto, it’s called a motor race, OK?”

The video showing this communication between Red Bull and Masi went viral on Twitter and left many Formula 1 fans, particularly supporters of Sir Lewis Hamilton, renewing their calls for the race director to be sacked.

However, the tweet was later taken down by Twitter after Formula 1’s rights holders filed a copy infringement claim.

Hill reacted to this in a tweet posted on Monday, warning that it would only add fuel to the conspiracy theories that the FIA deliberately helped Max Verstappen defeat Hamilton.

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“I fear this was not a wise move. It’s only going to add fuel to those who believe there was a conspiracy to deprive Merc and LH. Ah well. We shall see what today brings!” the 1996 world champion opined.

He has since deleted this tweet, without providing an explanation for doing so.

Meanwhile, many other social media users were quick to point out that Formula 1 only deleted the video because it did indeed breach copyright laws, not because they were trying to facilitate a cover-up.