F1: Mercedes Lodges Intention To Appeal Abu Dhabi Result

After its two protests were dismissed by the FIA stewards, Mercedes has announced that it will be leveraging its right to appeal against the decision of the stewards in a bid to get the race result overturned. Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi GP in controversial circumstances which meant he dethroned Lewis Hamilton as the world champion. The Mercedes driver was on track to win a record-breaking 8th title after starting the race on the same amount of points as the Red Bull driver. 

Things came to a head after Nicholas Latifi in the Williams crashed 5 laps before the end of the race with Verstappen more than 10 seconds behind Hamilton. This triggered a delayed safety car and initially, it was indicated that the lapped cars wouldn't be allowed to uncap themselves, while normal protocol would've needed them to be unlapped. But that would've also meant that the world championship fight finished behind the safety car. 

The FIA race director Michael Masi is in the eye of the storm behind the controvertial F1 2021 finale 

Michael Masi the FIA race director leveraged the FIA rule book to make a judgement call something he is entitled to, allowing the cars between Verstappen and Hamilton to uncap themselves. This was a problematic situation for Mercedes as Verstappen has pitted for new soft tyres while Hamilton was still on worn hard tyres that he had put on in the 14th lap of the race. 

Hamilton never had enough time to put a fresh set of tyres as he would've lost track position. Eventually, Verstappen's tyre advantage immediately came to the fore when the race restarted for the final lap as within seconds, the Dutchman lunged to overtake the 7-time world champion. Hamilton couldn't return the favour as he didn't even have DRS. 

Mercedes was trying to get the last lap disavowed and was hoping that Verstappen could be given a penalty also for overtaking during the safety car period when he was slotted behind Hamilton for the restart. All these protests were thrown out by the FIA stewards. 

Regardless of what happens, it is highly unlikely that Mercedes will get Max Verstappen dislodged as the 2021 world drivers champion. The FIA certainly finds it in hot soup as the decision was delayed, and polarising.