Reiterates that the FIA ”did not do well” and blame it for the loss of Hamilton’s title
MADRID, 16 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team withdrew its appeal from the last race of the past Formula 1 World Cup, an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was crowned champion after overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap after an action of ‘ Safety Car ‘where Mercedes believes they lost the title due to a bad application of the regulations by the FIA.
“We left Abu Dhabi without giving credit to what we had just witnessed. Of course, it is part of the game to lose a race, but it is something different when you lose faith in racing. We continue to hold the FIA accountable for this process but hereby we withdraw our appeal, “Mercedes said in a statement.
In this way, they withdraw their appeal and accept that the victory of the Abu Dhabi GP and the world title go to Max Verstappen and Red Bull. Of course, they remain rooted in that the FIA and F1 racing director Michael Masi made mistakes and were not equidistant.
“Together with Lewis (Hamilton), we have deliberated on how to respond to events at the end of the season. We have always been guided by our love for the sport and we believe that all competitions should be won on merit. In Sunday’s race, many they felt, including us, that the way things developed was not right, “said the German team.
The reason they protested on the same Sunday about the result of the race was because the safety car regulations were applied “in a new way that affected the result of the race”, after Hamilton led the final laps and lost the first place, and the title, on the last lap after the safety car was released and with Verstappen hooked on it after allowing the FIA drivers with a lost lap who were in the middle to pass to the safety car.
“We appeal for the sake of sporting fairness, and have since had a constructive dialogue with the FIA and Formula 1 to create clarity for the future, so that all competitors know the rules under which they are competing and how they will be enforced. We appreciate the FIA’s decision to install a commission to fully analyze what happened in Abu Dhabi and improve the robustness of the rules, governance and decision-making in Formula 1. We also appreciate that they have invited the teams and pilots to participate, “they argued.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team assures that it will work “actively” with this commission to build a “better” Formula 1 for each team and each fan.
On the other hand, in the same statement, they congratulated Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing for their victory. “We would like to express our sincere respect for his achievements this season. Max, you made this title fight truly epic. We congratulate you and your entire team. We look forward to meeting on the track next season,” they said.
They were also proud of Hamilton and his team’s performance. “Lewis, you are the best driver in the history of Formula 1 and you have squeezed every lap of this incredible season. You are an impeccable athlete on and off the track and delivered an impeccable performance. As a pure competitor and role model for millions of people all over the world, we celebrate it, “they noted.