For Mercedes, it was a difficult situation as there was not enough time left in the race to unlap all the cars.
see photosMercedes considering withdrawing protest after Abu Dhabi GP
Following the dramatic conclusion of the 2021 F1 season in Abu Dhabi, Mercedes launched two protests against Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Looks like this is set to change as Mercedes has a change of heart t. according toThe London Times, Verstappen, who was crowned world champion, only managed to overtake Lewis Hamilton in the last lap of the race on lap 53 of the race 58 with a safety car using fresh tires and a bunched up field. Mercedes was not happy with the way the FIA handled the lapped cars situation by opening itself up and also felt that Verstappen had overtaken Hamilton during the safety car period.
Hence the two protests, which were dismissed by the managers of the FIA after the race was over. The Brackley-based team announced its intention to appeal the decision by the FIA for which it had 96 more hours before the F1 ceremony, where the drivers and teams are crowned. It had announced its decision after the protests were overruled, but now the Times is reporting that Mercedes is considering withdrawing its protest which means there will be no appeal.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was angry and urged the race director to reverse the outcome of the race AFP
photo credit: AFP
Toto Wolff, who is team principal, CEO and 33 percent owner of the F1 team, as well as INEOS and Mercedes brand parent Daimler, have felt the appeal would not be a good look for the sport. Wolff also learns that the FIA’s case was strong in its handling of the rules, so it would be difficult to remove Verstappen as world champion as he overtook Hamilton Fair and Squire on the track.
FIA race director Michael Massi initially stated that lapped cars would not be allowed to unlap themselves, which would have meant Verstappen and Hamilton were separated by 5 cars. But then he changed the direction, saying that only those 5 of the five cars separating the race leaders would be allowed to unlap. This meant that Verstappen was just behind Hamilton at the start of the final lap of the race with fresh soft tyres, which proved decisive in the championship-winning overtake.
For Mercedes, it was a difficult situation as there was not enough time left in the race to unlap all the cars. Therefore, the team made the bold decision not to pit Hamilton for new tyres, in order to maintain track position in case the race ended behind a safety car. But then Massi rejected the standard protocol to which he, being race director, was entitled according to FIA rules.
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In addition to this report, an F1 blog quoted sources in England as saying Hamilton has asked Wolff to withdraw the appeal. F1maximaal.nl revealed that “sources in the racing world in England” had told Hamilton they “are said to have asked Wolff to withdraw the protests against Verstappen and Red Bull”.
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