Hamilton won't get over being robbed: Wolff

LONDON • Lewis Hamilton may never get over the pain of being "robbed" of a record eighth Formula One title, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said yesterday in comments that raised doubts about the driver's future.

The Austrian - speaking for the first time since last Sunday's race in Abu Dhabi and after Mercedes had dropped plans to appeal - and Hamilton did not attend the governing FIA's gala awards in Paris yesterday evening.

Attendance is mandatory for the top three drivers in the championship, with Mercedes also winning the constructors' title for a record eighth year in a row.

Hamilton finished runner-up to Red Bull's Max Verstappen after the Dutch driver overtook him on the last lap at Yas Marina, benefiting from a sudden, controversial change to the safety car procedure.

"It's going to take a long time for us to digest what has happened on Sunday. I don't think we will ever come over it," said Wolff.

"And certainly not him (Hamilton) as a driver... he will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on Sunday."

Asked directly whether Hamilton, who turns 37 next month, would be back next year, Wolff indicated that was not a certainty.

"I would very much hope Lewis continues racing because he is the greatest driver of all time," he said.

"As a racer, his heart will say 'I need to continue' because he's at the peak of his game. But we have to overcome the pain."

Mercedes yesterday dropped plans to appeal against the Abu Dhabi outcome and have congratulated Verstappen for becoming F1 world champion.

Verstappen, 24, who seized his maiden title, collected his trophy at the gala awards yesterday.

Mercedes welcomed the FIA's decision to analyse what happened at Yas Marina and "to improve the robustness of rules, governance and decision-making in Formula 1".

"We will hold the FIA accountable for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal," said the team, who had announced their intention to appeal after two post-race protests were dismissed. The deadline was yesterday evening.

"We left Abu Dhabi in disbelief of what we had just witnessed. Of course, it's part of the game to lose a race, but it's something different when you lose faith in racing.

"We believe that every competition should be won on merit."

The safety car was deployed five laps from the end after Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams.

Racing resumed with one lap remaining after race director Michael Masi broke with a protocol requiring all lapped cars to overtake the safety car first.

Instead, only those between race leader Hamilton and Verstappen unlapped themselves, giving the Red Bull driver - on fresher and quicker soft tyres - a clear track to close in on and overtake Hamilton.

"We appealed in the interest of sporting fairness," added Mercedes.

"We have since been in a constructive dialogue with the FIA and Formula One to create clarity for the future, so that all competitors know the rules."

The team also said: "Max, we congratulate you and your entire team. We look forward to taking the fight to you next season."

Hamilton, meanwhile, received his knighthood for his services to motor sports on Wednesday.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE