Mercedes congratulate world champion Max

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team have dropped plans to appeal against the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix outcome and congratulated Max Verstappen as Formula One world champion.

Red Bull’s Verstappen, 24, seized the title after overtaking seven-time world champion Hamilton on the last lap of the race amid an uproar over how a late safety car period was conducted.

The Dutch driver was due to collect his trophy at a gala awards ceremony in Paris on Thursday evening.

Hamilton would not attend the event, however, according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

Earlier on Thursday, Mercedes welcomed the governing FIA’s decision, announced on Wednesday, to analyse what happened at Yas Marina and bring clarity for the future.

“We will hold the FIA accountable for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal,” the team said.

Mercedes had announced their intention to appeal after two post-race protests were dismissed.

The deadline was Thursday evening.

“We left Abu Dhabi in disbelief of what we had just witnessed.

“Of course, it’s part of the game to lose a race, but it’s something different when you lose faith in racing,” Mercedes said.

“Together with Lewis, we have deliberated carefully over how to respond to the events ... we have always been guided by our love of this sport and we believe that every competition should be won on merit.

“In the race on Sunday many felt, us included, that the way things unfolded was not right.”

The safety car was deployed five laps from the end after Canadian Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams, with marshals needing to be on track to recover it.

Racing resumed with one lap remaining after race director Michael Masi broke with a protocol requiring all lapped cars should overtake the safety car first.

Instead, only those between Verstappen and Hamilton unlapped themselves, giving the Red Bull driver a clear track to close on Hamilton and overtake.

Hamilton had not pitted, unlike Verstappen, when the safety car was deployed because he would have lost the lead and Mercedes calculated there was not enough time remaining to resume racing under the rules.

“We appealed in the interest of sporting fairness,” Mercedes said.

“We have since been in a constructive dialogue with the FIA and Formula One to create clarity for the future, so that all competitors know the rules under which they are racing, and how they will be enforced.

“To Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing — we would like to express our sincere respect for your achievements this season,” the team said.

“You made this Formula One championship title fight truly epic.

“Max, we congratulate you and your entire team.

“We look forward to taking the fight to you on the track next season.” 

Meanwhile, Hamilton might never get over the pain of being “robbed” of a record eighth Formula One title, Wolff said in comments that raised doubts about the driver’s future in the sport.

The Austrian, speaking to reporters for the first time since the race in Abu Dhabi, said he and Hamilton would not be attending the FIA’s gala awards in Paris.

Attendance is mandatory for the top three drivers in the championship, with Mercedes also winning the constructors’ title for an unprecedented eighth year in a row.

“It’s going to take a long time for us to digest what has happened on Sunday. I don’t think we will ever come over it, that’s not possible,” Wolff said.

“And certainly not him [Hamilton] as a driver.

“I would very much hope the two of us and the rest of the team can work through the events.

“But he will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on Sunday.”

Asked directly whether Hamilton, who turns 37 next month, would be back next year, Wolff indicated that was not a certainty.

“I would very much hope Lewis continues racing because he is the greatest driver of all time,” he said.

“As a racer his heart will say ‘I need to continue’ because he’s at the peak of his game.

“But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday.

“He is a man with clear values.”

Wolff said Mercedes technical head James Allison would be in Paris to collect the trophy.

“I won’t be there because of my loyalty to Lewis and because of my own personal integrity,” he said.  — Reuters