Mercedes Abu Dhabi appeal would have ended with Max Verstappen as 2021 Champion as per FIA
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Lewis and Max
The FIA has recently given their verdict on the complaints that were filed by the Mercedes Formula1 team against the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix of the 2021 season. The hierarchy at FIA believes even if Mercedes had won their appeal, the likely outcome still would have been in Max Verstappen’s favor.
It has been stated in GP Fans that Mercedes had decided to appeal shortly after their protest regarding the outcome of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was rejected by the stewards.
At the end of the race, the silver arrows were left scratching their heads after witnessing the drama of the last few laps of the season. The Mercedes outfit was not happy with the controversial decision-making of Micheal Masi as it led to Max Verstappen snatching Lewis Hamilton’s record eighth world title away from him on the last lap of the 2021 Formula1 season.
However, the silver arrows decided to officially withdraw their appeals before the Annual Gala Ceremony of the FIA. Toto Wolff the Mercedes Team Principal in an interview said that both he and Lewis Hamilton were left ‘disillusioned’ by the whole affair.
FIA’s say on the Mercedes appeals against the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Peter Bayer, the FIA’s secretary-general for motorsport on behalf of the FIA has been looking after the inquiry into the incidents of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and has recently said that even if Mercedes had won the appeal, the likely verdict from the judges would still have favored Max Verstappen.
while speaking regarding the incident with Australian journalist Gerhard Kuntschik, Bayer has said “Had the Mercedes protest gone to the Court of Appeal, after being rejected by the stewards, what would have happened?”
“I think the judges would have said ‘It’s different in the regulations. He [Masi] decided that way, so we could just void the result.”
“But even then, if it were made void, Max would have been world champion.”
Peter Bayer believes even if Mercedes had managed to win their appeal, the final decision would have still gone in favor of Max because he had more race victories than Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
Regarding the ongoing inquiry, Bayer has said “The situation was far from perfect and that’s why we’re working on it.”
“It’s also about having respect for the race director. My job is to look ahead and see how can we improve things.”
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Rishabh Negi
(3244 Articles Published)