Mercedes may not appeal further for the greater good

LONDON • Mercedes are reportedly thinking about not going ahead with plans to lodge a further appeal against the contentious nature of Max Verstappen's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory.

Sunday's win in the season finale ensured the first Formula One championship title won by a Dutchman, but the circumstances remain highly controversial.

Seven-time winner Lewis Hamilton was on the brink of passing Michael Schumacher in the history books with one lap to go and having led for most of the race.

Yet the 36-year-old Briton ended up missing out on glory, with Verstappen, 24, overtaking him on the final lap after governing body FIA decided a limited number of drivers - the five in between both rivals - could unlap themselves behind the safety car.

The initial call was for teams to stay in formation while behind the safety car, which intervened four laps from the end following Nicholas Latifi's crash.

The sudden reversal meant Hamilton stood no chance against Red Bull's Verstappen with his fresh soft tyres in the final one-lap sprint to the flag and left British motor racing fans in a rage, with many calling the decision "a fix".

After the race, stewards rejected both appeals by the Silver Arrows, claiming a breach of Article 48.8 of the FIA sporting regulations and another concerning safety car procedure (Article 48.12).

Some media reports have suggested the Mercedes team are expected to make another appeal - this time against race director Michael Masi and his controversial decision to withdraw the safety car for the final lap.

However, the Times of London yesterday reported the team are leaning towards putting the reputation of the sport before any desire to see Hamilton crowned world champion for an eighth time.

Mercedes have until Thursday, as that is when the prize-giving ceremony will be held, to further challenge the decision by Masi to restart the championship deciding-race with just a lap remaining.

Beyond that, they can take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but that would be a drawn-out affair lasting months.

Team principal Toto Wolff is said to be still furious with the Australian and the team argued the rules were not applied correctly.

Stewards countered by saying "although Article 48.12 may not have been applied fully", the following article "overrides" it and "once the message 'safety car in this lap' has been displayed, it is mandatory to withdraw the safety car at the end of that lap".

The drivers themselves have also admitted the decision to change tack left them "confused".

McLaren's Lando Norris, who was part of the select group allowed to unlap themselves behind the safety car, yesterday told racefans.net: "It was obviously made to be a fight, it was for the TV of course, it was for the result. Whether or not it was fair is not up to me to decide.

"Sometimes, they let you go, sometimes, they don't. It's just 50-50 half the time.

"But they said that they're not gonna let us pass. But then to suddenly do it just for the final lap, and for a one lap shoot-out, then I'm a bit surprised."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc added: "But first I was told I would not be able to unlap myself, at the end at the last moment, we actually had the opportunity to unlap ourselves, it was a bit of a strange one."

Opinion remains just as split among former F1 stars, with some sympathising with Mercedes and others with Masi.

Four-time champion Alain Prost said he understood Mercedes' gripe, adding: "The protest over the managing of the safety car is an extra controversy which one does not need because the mistake was committed by the authorities."

However, Nico Rosberg, who in 2016 was the last man to stop Hamilton from winning until Verstappen, hailed Masi's decision as it led to a "magnificent racing moment and an unbelievable climax".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS