Challenging the safety car procedure at the Abu Dhabi GP, Mercedes has registered the rejection of its double claim, but intends to appeal.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had a spectacular conclusion on track Sunday evening in the spotlight, culminating in a victory over the wire of Max Verstappen (Red Bull). At the price of one overtaking Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) at the start of the last lap, the Dutchman picked up his first F1 world champion title. His decisive maneuver was made easier by the intervention of the safety car, allowing him to put on new tires while his rival remained on the track, wearing worn tires, so as not to lose his leading position.
=> Max Verstappen, world champion on the wire
Immediately after the arrival, the spotlight was shined on a another battle that seemed to start behind the scenes, at the initiative of Mercedes. Object of the discord, the safety car procedure triggered from lap 53 to 57, in reaction to the crash of Nicholas Latifi’s Williams. Considering that the procedure had not been carried out in due form, the stable at the star filed a double claim. On the one hand, Mercedes considered that Max Verstappen had briefly passed Lewis Hamilton before the Safety Car line, while the other point of complaint concerned the instruction given to the drivers relegated to a lap, but interspersed between the two contenders for the title, to step aside to let Max Verstappen pass, when they had first received a reverse instruction, that of keeping their position.
=> The video summary of the battle Verstappen – Hamilton
A few hours later, the first complaint was dismissed, but the fate of the second remained unanswered. Ultimately the verdict was the same and the Mercedes team therefore saw itself being doubly rejected by the Abu Dhabi stewards. Regardless, the German manufacturer immediately announced its intention to appeal. From now on, Mercedes has four days, or 96 hours, to officially formalize this call. One would almost forget that the team with the star has just won an eighth consecutive title of world constructors’ champion, improving the record which it held alone since last year.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 12, 2021
Photo : Icon Sport
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F1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: the video summary of the battle Verstappen – Hamilton
F1 – The video of the final decisive lap between Verstappen and Hamilton
F1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Max Verstappen, world champion on the wire!
