Michael Masi will join SRO Motorsports Australia as its new Head of Sporting, with the experienced motorsport official beginning an immediate handover before taking up the position full-time for the 2027 season.
Masi will attend the final two Shannons SpeedSeries rounds of 2026 as part of that transition, starting with this weekend’s GT Festival at Sydney Motorsport Park from 18-20 September. He will then assume responsibility for the sporting operation across SRO Motorsports Australia’s championships, including the implementation of regulations, management of senior race officials and alignment with SRO’s international sporting standards.
The former Formula 1 Race Director brings experience from several senior roles in Australian and international motorsport. He served as F1 Race Director from 2019 to 2021 after progressing through Motorsport Australia and Supercars, while he most recently worked as the independent chairman of the Supercars Commission from 2022 until 2025.
Masi welcomes next step with SRO Motorsports Australia
Masi described the appointment as an opportunity to contribute to the next stage of SRO Motorsports Australia’s development while building on the work already completed by outgoing Head of Business Development and Sporting Abi Hay.
“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,” Masi said.
The appointment returns Masi to a prominent operational role within Australian motorsport. His responsibilities will include overseeing sporting rules and regulations while ensuring officials and competitors follow the processes established across SRO’s wider global structure.
He will also oversee the Stewards, Race Director and other race officials. In addition, SRO expects him to introduce practices used across its international championships as the Australian operation continues strengthening its sporting framework.
Masi sees further potential in Australian GT racing
Masi joins SRO Motorsports Australia at a time when the organisation continues expanding its domestic presence and bringing its categories closer to the standards used across SRO championships internationally.
“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.”
His role will therefore extend beyond simply supervising individual race weekends. By overseeing sporting processes and the officials responsible for applying them, Masi will help shape how SRO Motorsports Australia operates across its categories from 2027 onwards.
The position also gives him the opportunity to apply experience gained across several forms of motorsport, from his early years as a volunteer through domestic administrative positions and eventually Formula 1.
Masi brings extensive senior-level experience
Masi began working in Australian motorsport during his teenage years before progressing into senior positions with Motorsport Australia, then known as the Confederation of Australian Motorsport. His roles included CEO of Rally Australia and Deputy Race Director in Supercars before his career moved onto the international stage.
He became Formula 1 Race Director in 2019 and held the position for three seasons through the end of 2021. After returning to Australia, he later became independent chairman of the Supercars Commission and remained in that role from 2022 until 2025.
Masi will continue his other current responsibilities alongside the SRO appointment. He remains Deputy Chair of Karting Australia and a Board Member of the South Australian Motor Sport Board, keeping him involved across several areas of the country’s motorsport administration.
McMellan backs Masi’s experience
SRO Motorsports Australia CEO Ben McMellan welcomed the appointment and highlighted the experience Masi brings after working in senior sporting roles across several levels of motorsport.
“We are delighted to have someone of Michael’s stature joining SRO Motorsports Australia for the remainder of the 2026 season and beyond,” McMellan said.
Although Masi will not assume the role full-time until next season, his attendance at the final two Shannons SpeedSeries events gives him an opportunity to work directly with the existing sporting operation before the formal transition takes place.
“Michael brings an enormous amount of experience from decades spent at the in top positions of motorsport, and we’re confident his knowledge and expertise will help take GT racing in Australia to the next level.
The organisation will therefore use the closing rounds of 2026 as a handover period, allowing Masi to familiarise himself with the existing procedures, personnel and sporting structures before beginning his first full campaign in 2027.
Hay returns to European SRO responsibilities
Masi succeeds Hay, who will return to Europe to concentrate on her existing roles within the wider SRO Motorsports Group.
Hay has served as SRO Motorsports Australia’s Head of Business Development and Sporting since the beginning of 2024. During that period, she played a central role in developing the organisation’s sporting and operational foundations while bringing its Australian activities into closer alignment with SRO’s international standards.
She will now focus on her positions as Intercontinental GT Challenge Series Manager, SRO Manufacturer Relations Manager and SRO GT Academy Manager.
McMellan stressed that Masi inherits a sporting structure shaped significantly by Hay’s work over the previous three seasons.
“While Michael’s appointment is a fantastic coup for SRO Motorsports Australia, he is also stepping into a strong position that has been built through the tireless efforts of Abi Hay.
“We want to thank Abi for everything she has contributed to SRO Motorsports Australia over the past three years. We wouldn’t be in the position we are today without her knowledge, hard-working attitude and dedication, and I have no doubt she will be missed by our team and the wider Australian motorsport community.”
The handover therefore represents both a leadership change and continuity within SRO’s broader sporting structure, with Hay remaining part of the organisation internationally while Masi assumes responsibility for the Australian operation.
Sydney begins Masi’s transition into new role
Masi’s first weekend in the new position comes immediately at Sydney Motorsport Park, where he will attend the GT Festival from 18-20 September.
Rather than waiting until the start of 2027, SRO will use the final two Shannons SpeedSeries events of the current season to complete the transition. That should allow Masi to observe the existing processes at race weekends, work alongside the officials and personnel already in place, and prepare for the expanded responsibility he will carry next year.
The appointment places another experienced senior official inside SRO Motorsports Australia as the organisation continues developing its GT racing platform. With Masi beginning the handover immediately and Hay returning to her European responsibilities, Sydney marks the start of a new phase in the sporting leadership of SRO’s Australian programme.
