Mercedes launch protests after Verstappen beats Hamilton to F1 crown in Abu Dhabi
Dec 12, 2021
Abu Dhabi [UAE], December 12 : Mercedes on Sunday protested after Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and clinched the 2021 Formula 1 world title after a late lunge on rival Lewis Hamilton.
The team, who secured the constructors' crown for a record eighth year in a row, protested the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix final classification, citing a breach of two articles in the Sporting Regulations.
Hamilton had looked the most likely to take that all-deciding win, enjoying a comfortable lead over Verstappen having commanded the race, when Nicholas Latifi crashed with six laps to go, triggering a Safety Car.
Red Bull called Verstappen into the pits and fitted him with soft tyres. Hamilton did not pit and remained on 38-lap-old hard tyres. The race resumed with one lap to go, with Verstappen holding a significant tyre advantage. He caught and passed the Mercedes driver to take victory.
Within 30 minutes of the race ending, Mercedes launched two protests. One was "against the classification established at the end of the Competition, alleged breach of Article 48.12 of the 2021 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations."
During the race, initially race control issued a message saying lapped cars would not be allowed to overtake. At the time, five cars were between Hamilton and Verstappen.
They then said those five cars would be allowed to unlap themselves. By the time racing got under way, there was just one racing lap left - which was enough for Verstappen to catch and pass Hamilton to win.
The second protest is regarding alleged breach of Article 48.8 of the Sporting Regulations. This rule says "no driver may overtake another car on the track, including the Safety Car, until he passes the Line (see Article 5.3) for the first time after the safety car has returned to the pits."
