Mercedes rejected, Verstappen officially champion

The evening will be long in Abu Dhabi where the last Grand Prix of the 2021 season was contested. Despite the victory and the coronation of Max Verstappen, Mercedes decided to file a complaint against the Batavian and Red Bull for different offenses according to his staff.

One of them concerned the restart of the race at the end of the intervention of the safety car. So in 2nd position, Max Verstappen came to position himself at the height of Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes considered that the Dutchman had overtaken his driver and breached article 48.8 of the FIA ​​regulations according to which " no driver may overtake another car on the track, including the Safety Car, until he crosses the line for the first time after the Safety Car has re-entered the pits. ».

Understood, the German team received a first response from the FIA. The race management considered that the protest was admissible but ultimately decided to dismiss Mercedes.

Also present before the panel of commissioners for two other complaints relating to possible infringements of articles 48.8 and 48.12 of the regulations, Mercedes did not win its case. According to the FIA ​​article 15.3 “ allows the race director to control the use of the safety car, which we understand includes its deployment and removal (from the track).

Even though article 48.12 has not been fully applied, when it comes to the safety car returning to the pits at the end of the next lap, article 48.13 takes over and once the message 'Safety Car in this lap' (End of the safety car. Ed.) has been displayed, it is obligatory to bring in the safety car at the end of said lap »

If it appears to be confirmed, the affair could last for some time. Mercedes has indeed confirmed its intention to appeal the decision handed down by the FIA ​​and its race management.

The FIA ​​decision

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