Formula 1

Mohammed Ben Sulayem replaces Jean Todt as the new FIA President

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago03 mins

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been elected as the new International Automobile Federation President replacing Jean Todt. The FIA confirmed the news on Friday after an election was held and the former rally driver from Dubai emerged as the winner after standing against FIA’s vice president Graham Stocker. Jean Todt will be retiring from the seat after serving three terms in the office. Mohammed Ben Sulayem will be the first non-European federation president. Graham Stocker who is a British lawyer was beaten in the race for the seat despite serving as the vice president for 11 years since 2009. The FIA serves as the governing body for Formula 1, Formula E, World Endurance Championship(WEC) and World Rally Championship(WRC) among other motorsports championships. “The votes are in and we’ve won. We are thrilled that 62% of all clubs have given us their vote,” a tweet read from Ben Sulayem’s campaign on Twitter dubbed ‘FIA for Members’. With Mohammed Ben Sulayem taking the top seat in FIA, Formula 1 will be one of his top priorities after a rather controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Season finale. The race received a lot of criticism after a controversial final lap safety car procedure changed the outcome of the championship title after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the race claiming the Drivers Championship title. Mercedes protested the race win but got dismissed by the Race Stewards later, with the team boss Toto Wolff saying Lewis Hamilton was ‘robbed’ of his record breaking eighth championship title. FIA Race Director Michael Masi received a lot of criticism after the controversial safety car directive. FIA promised to look into the issue which is said to be ‘tarnishing’ its name and also clarify the rules and regulations in regards to the sport. Mohammed Ben Sulayen was previously a member of the World Motor Sport Council and also served as FIA’s vice president. The 60-yea old will be deputised by Robert Reid who was formerly a co-driver to the late WRC champion Richard Burns. Bernie Ecclestone’s wife Fabianna will be the vice president in South America.

Toto Wolff says Hamilton may end his F1 career after Abu Dhabi GP controversy

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago04 mins

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that Lewis Hamilton may quit Formula 1 racing after getting disappointed in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale. Hamilton lost the race that would see him claim a record breaking eighth championship title to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after a controversial last lap Safety Car. The directives given by Formula 1 Race Director Michael Masi allowed the the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to overtake the Safety Car despite initially saying it would not be allowed. The Safety Car cut Hamilton’s 10 second lead and Verstappen got the upper hand winning the race. This got Mercedes disappointed by the absolute turn of events with Wolff saying the race controversy got him and Hamilton ‘disillusioned’ with Formula 1 as a sport. “It is going to take a long time to digest what has happened on Sunday….. I don’t think we will ever get over it, that’s not possible,” Wolff told reporters. “Lewis and I are disillusioned at the moment. We’re not disillusioned with the sport. We love the sport with every bone in our body. And we love it because the stopwatch never lies.” “But if we break that fundamental principle of spotting fairness and authenticity of the sport, then suddenly the stopwatch doesn’t become relevant anymore. Because we are exposed to random decision-making. “And it is clear that you may fall out of love with a sport if you start to question, with all the work you have been doing, all the sweat and tears and blood.” Toto Wolff did not disclose whether Hamilton will be back for the 2022 F1 season in February as the Brit’s contract with Mercedes runs upto the end of 2022. “I would very much hope that Lewis continues racing because he’s the greatest driver of all time,” the 49-year-old said. “We will be working through the events over the next weeks and months and I think that as a racer, his heart will say ‘I need to continue’, because he is at the peak of his game. “But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday, also because he is a man with clear values and it is difficult for him to understand how that happened.” “I just have to do the utmost that I can to help him overcome this, in order for him to return strong and with a love of the sport and trust in the decision-making of the sport next year, and I wish very much that will be the case.” Hamilton has been silent after the Yas Marina race and quietly jetted back to UK on Wednesday to receive a knighthood award from Prince Charles at Windsor Castle.

Charles Leclerc tests positive for COVID-19

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago02 mins

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is currently under isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. The team announced the news on Thursday adding that Leclerc tested positive for the disease on his way back home from Abu Dhabi. This comes after the conclusion of the 2021 Formula 1 Season last weekend. This is the second time that the Monesgague is testing positive for COVID-19 after suffering the same back in January displaying very mild symptoms. The statement from Ferrari’s social media handle read: “Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow driver Charles Leclerc has tested positive for COVID-19. In accordance with protocols required by FIA and the team, Charles was tested on his return from Abu Dhabi.” “He is currently feeling fine, with mild symptoms and will self-isolate at home.” Leclerc finished P10 in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale ranking seventh in the Drivers Championship behind his teammate Carlos Sainz and McLaren driver Lando Norris. Ferrari was third in the Constructors title. Other drivers who tested positive for COVID-19 in the 2021 F1 season were Kimi Raikkonen and Nikita Mazepin. Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez also sat out in some of the races last season after contracting the disease.

Hamilton and Wolff to miss FIA Prize Giving Gala

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago03 mins

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and driver Lewis Hamilton will not be attending Thursday’s FIA Prize Giving Gala in Paris. The event which is held after the end of every Formula 1 season requires the top three drivers in the championship to attend. This means championship winner Max Verstappen, first runner up Lewis Hamilton and second runner up Valtteri Bottas have to make an appearance for the event. However, Hamilton and his boss Toto Wolff confirmed they will not be attending the event despite Mercedes taking its eighth consecutive Constructors Championship title. According to article 6.6 of the Sporting Regulations Act, drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony. This means that Hamilton will be in breach of the rule but it is not yet clear if the seven-time world champion will face any disciplinary action for missing the event. The Mercedes Formula one and Formula E team also missed the Tuesday photoshoot pre-Gala event. The Formula E team took both the drivers and constructors championship this year. This comes after Lewis Hamilton was denied the championship title by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen following a controversial last lap safety car. The Race Director’s instructions that allowed the lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car received a lot of criticism because initially the directives did not allow for such to happen. Verstappen had the upper hand after the Race Control instructions and went ahead to overtake Lewis Hamilton on the last lap winning the race and claiming the Drivers Championship title. After the race Mercedes protested the controversial move but was dismissed by the Race Stewards. The team recently announced they have no further intentions appealing the matter. This now means Verstappen can now receive the championship trophy this evening in the Gala event.

FIA to introduce power unit cost cap regulations

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago02 mins

FIA has revealed its plans to introduce new power unit regulations for the 2026 Formula 1 Season. The new power unit regulations are aimed at introducing a budget cap on power unit development for manufacturers which will as well reduce the power unit cost for the teams come 2026. The budget cap regulations were introduced this year with the teams cutting down on their spending, however, the new rules exempted cost cap on power unit development. with the 2026 rules, it will be possible for F1 newcomers such as the rumoured Volkswagen Group(Audi and Porsche) to enter the sport at a competitive level. However, the FIA has not expounded on exemptions in regards to the new rules. The cars will also run on 100% sustainable fuel using the current 1.6 Litre turbo V6 engine. The power units will undergo a major change tripling power output from the current 120Kw to over 350Kw. With this, the manufacturers will do away with MGU-H which produces energy from heat and also save on the massive cost of the PU. The move will shift focus to electrical power. A detailed specification of the 2026 power unit rules and regulations is currently being drawn up for submission to the World Motor Sport Council early next year. FIA also confirmed refinements to the technical regulations for next year had been agreed.

FIA to conduct investigations on controversial Abu Dhabi finale

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago06 mins

FIA World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday released a statement intending to investigate the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale which was plagued by controversy amid receiving criticism. The Formula 1 season finale served as a championship title decider between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen who were currently level on points as they headed to the final race. With Hamilton taking the lead after a move on Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez, the Brit dominated the race and even extended the time margin ahead of Verstappen. However, things turned around on the final lap after a Safety Car was deployed following Nicholas Latifi’s crash. While Lewis Hamilton decided to stay out after the caution was out, Verstappen was called in by Red Bull for fresh soft tyres. Coming out, Verstappen found himself behind five lapped cars from the race leader. F1 Race Director Michael Masi later cleared the five cars between the title rivals to unlap themselves, a move that was controversial and widely criticised. Masi’s call left the race being a final lap showdown, and Verstappen running on fresher tyres pulled off an overtake on Hamilton claiming the race win and championship title. Mercedes tried to protest the controversial final lap events but the Race Stewards dismissed the matter leaving the team on crossroads on whether to appeal the race outcome officially. The FIA, in a statement issued on Wednesday evening said they recognised the fall-out from events in Abu Dhabi and the matter is “tarnishing the image of the championship” they also added that they will study what happened “with all relevant parties”, as proposed by President Jean Todt who is about to exit his post following the maximum 12 years in office. The statement read: “On Sunday, another FIA F1 World Championship season of competitive excellence concluded, and the credit goes to the participating drivers and teams. The FIA congratulates all of them for their performances in this year. It was a hard fight, and the best competition was displayed at each grand prix.” “The world watched every race with great anticipation, knowing in the end there could only be one winner. In this respect, many praised Max Verstappen for his victory, and Lewis Hamilton for his remarkable performance and sportsmanship after the closing event of the season.” “The 2021 FIA Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has prompted a large number of reactions from the F1 community and from motorsport in general, as well as in the public. The FIA’s primary responsibility at any event is to ensure the safety of everyone involved and the integrity of the sport.” “The circumstances surrounding the use of the Safety Car following the incident of driver Nicholas Latifi, and the related communications between the FIA Race Direction team and the Formula 1 teams, have notably generated significant misunderstanding and reactions from Formula 1 teams, drivers and fans – an argument that is currently tarnishing the image of the Championship and the due celebration of the first Drivers’ World Championship title won by Max Verstappen and the eighth consecutive Constructors’ World Championship title won by Mercedes.” “Following the presentation of a report regarding the sequence of events that took place following the incident on lap 53 of the grand prix and in a constant drive for improvement, the FIA President proposed to the World Motor Sport Council that a detailed analysis and clarification exercise for the future with all relevant parties will now take place.” “This matter will be discussed and addressed with all the teams and drivers to draw any lessons from this situation and clarity to be provided to the participants, media and fans about the current regulations to preserve the competitive nature of our sport while ensuring the safety of the drivers and officials.”

Lewis Hamilton receives knighthood despite championship loss

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago02 mins

Seven-time world F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton was knighted at Windsor Castle by the Prince of Wales on Wednesday. The 36-year old was awarded his knighthood and the title in the 2021 New Year Honours list when he equalled Michael Schumacher’s Formula One World Championship record. Seven-time champion! Sir Lewis Hamilton was accompanied by his mother, Carmen at the ceremony. He’s now the fourth Formula One driver to be knighted in history. This includes Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, and Sir Jack Brabham. Despite Sir Lewis Hamilton missing the eighth title this season and finishing in P2 after a controversial call by Michael Masi. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the race claiming the championship title. However, Mercedes became eight-time consecutive constructor winners in Formula One despite losing the drivers championship win. On Thursday, Hamilton will attend the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony in Paris. The Brit will start fresh next season aiming to break the record with his new Mercedes teammate, George Russell in 2022.

Mercedes absent in FIA Prize Giving Gala pre-event

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago02 mins

Mercedes failed to attend FIA’s photo opportunities on Tuesday night ahead of the main prize giving event on Thursday. The FIA Prize Giving Gala is scheduled for Thursday evening in Paris with the event involving all FIA Championships. Both Mercedes Formula 1 and Formula E teams were missing in the Tuesday’s pre-ceremony which serves as a preparation for the main event on Thursday. This comes after Mercedes won the 2021 Formula E and Formula 1 Constructors Championship titles with Nyck de Vries winning the Formula E Drivers Championship title. However, Lewis Hamilton was beaten to his record eighth Formula 1 title by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale. Verstappen’s last lap overtake on Hamilton was controversial after the late Safety Car allowed lapped cars between the title rivals to overtake. Verstappen also had the upper hand after pitting for fresh soft tyres, the Dutchman later found himself just behind Hamilton and the last minute battle to the finish was on. Verstappen won the race claiming his maiden championship win. Mercedes lodged two protests to the Race Stewards after the race complaining about the control of the final Safety car. However, the stewards dismissed the protests with the team revealing they have no further intentions of taking the issue further.

Ferrari to consider extending Carlos Sainz contract beyond 2022

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago03 mins

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has revealed that his team will consider offering Carlos Sainz a contract extension. The Spaniard’s future will be decided by the team over the winter break after the 2021 Formula 1 season came to a conclusion last weekend in Abu Dhabi. Carlos Sainz managed to put Ferrari on the podium in the dramatic season finale by finishing third. However, his achievement went unrecognized as all attention was on the championship battle between Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Sainz joined the duo on the podium after the race. “A podium to end a magic season… first season for me at Ferrari,” Sainz said. “P5 in the championship I think.” Ferrari commended the 27-year old for doing well in his debut season with the team amid struggling to keep up with his teammate Charles Leclerc. “Carlos had a great year,” Binotto confirmed. The Ferrari boss was also asked on whether they will be rewarding Carlos Sainz with a contract extension beyond 2022 after a successful 2021 season. “When we signed him a year ago, we said that the winter would be the time to talk and review everything that happened during the season,” said Binotto. “So we will do that in the winter. There will be a joint review of the entire season and we will talk about what our future will look like.” “When we signed Carlos, we wanted two good drivers in the race who are consistently scoring points. That’s been the case this season,” Binotto added. “I’m very happy with what Carlos has done this season, his first with Ferrari, which was not easy. But we signed him because he is a good driver who scores points and is able to learn.”

Hamilton’s name missing in the Sports Personality of the Year short-list, Verstappen nominated

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago02 mins

Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton is missing on the short list for the Sports Personality of the year. This comes as the 36-year old missed securing his eighth Formula 1 title in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend. The BBC holds the Sports Personality of the Year event annually on December with an aim to celebrate and acknowledge successful sportsmen and women in Britain. However, this time round Hamilton’s name did not appear for the award despite winning twice in previous years. The Brit’s hopes of winning a record eighth title were shattered on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the lead. The move was very controversial as a late Safety Car put Verstappen directly behind Hamilton after clearing five lapped cars between the title rivals to overtake the Safety Car. The Race Control intervention widely received criticism as it saw the title fight fall in Verstappen’s favor. With Hamilton’s name missing in the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, Max Verstappen was nominated for the International World Sports Star gong. The award acknowledges the successes of sportsmen from overseas. Some of the athletes that were nominated for the Sports Personality of the Year awards were tennis player Emma Raducanu who won the United States Open. Raducanu is a close friend of Hamilton besides being a Formula 1 fan. Tokyo games Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley was also nominated next to boxer Tyson Fury and 100m breaststroke gold medalist Adam Peaty.

Marko: We are yet to see the best of Max

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago04 mins

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has claimed that Max Verstappen is still growing stronger after securing his maiden title in Abu Dhabi last weekend. In a dramatic season finale at Yas Marina, Verstappen snatched victory from title rival Lewis Hamilton on the final lap in a move that brought a lot of controversy considering Hamilton had dominated over most of the race. 24-year old Verstappen is not new to Formula 1 as he has been on the pinnacle of motorsports for seven seasons despite the young age. However, Helmut Marko believes that the new champ is yet to get to his ‘climax’. “He is a driver who I’m sure is not at the end of his abilities,” the Red Bull boss told the BBC. “We saw his qualifying performance at the last two races, in Jeddah and Abu Dhabi. He did qualifying laps that were so much more than the car could deliver.” “And that’s why we believe we haven’t seen the climax of Max Verstappen. The more he wins, the more relaxed he gets.” Max Verstappen made his debut back in 2014 just aged 17 years driving for the Red Bull junior Formula 1 team Toro Rosso(currently AlphaTauri) in the Japanese Grand Prix Free Practice. In the 2015, the Dutchman got a seat with the team before getting promoted to the senior team the following season. On his debut year with Red Bull, Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix. This proved to Red Bull that they were already having a champion. Helmut Marko also admits that he spotted the young talent in Formula 3 just 15 years old, adding that Verstappen’s fast learning and development impressed him. “The first serious discussion I had with him was when he was 15. I saw him in a Formula 3 race where he was so much better than anyone else,” said Marko. “It was wet and dry conditions and after this race, which he won by miles, I had a discussion with him for nearly two hours normally with a young person I talk for 20 minutes – and I was surprised what a mature human being he was in a very young body.” “His determination or his will to win…he knew what he wanted to do,” Marko continued. “We were talking about the future and so on and after two or three weeks we said ‘forget all the other junior activities, we go straight into Formula 1.”

Lewis Hamilton set to receive knighthood award

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago02 mins

Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton is set to receive a knighthood award on Wednesday at Windsor Castle Investiture. The 36-Year old will be knighted tomorrow, just days after completing the 2021 Formula 1 Season which saw him miss an eighth championship win in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton was beaten to the title by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen after a dramatic final race. Lewis Hamilton was also named in the New Year Honours list back in 2020 despite a long wait for the award considering he is one of the most successful sportsmen in the history of United Kingdom. Adding to the wait was the Brit’s pending tax cases which made him to get overlooked for the award nomination. However, he was finally awarded in the overseas category having relocated to Monaco in 2010. Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen were level on points after 21 races in 2021 and the title fight went down to the last lap of the final race, when the Red Bull driver overtook Hamilton, benefitting from a sudden change in decision by race officials to withdraw the safety car in the final lap.Though Mercedes registered a formal protest, it was rejected by race stewards, ensuring Verstappen won his debut world championship.Despite the loss, Hamilton was gracious in defeat as he congratulated his rival, with whom he clashed—physically and verbally—multiple times over the year. Hamilton was made a member of the order of the British Empire in 2008 after his first championship victory with McLaren.

Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou make their debut with Alfa Romeo in Abu Dhabi Post Season Test

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago01 mins

After completing the 2021 Formula Season with Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas was back on the track with his new team Alfa Romeo. This comes after Alfa Romeo announced their all new 2022 driver line-up back in November. Partnering Bottas for the 18 inch Pirelli tyre Post Season Test was Guanyu Zhou who made a debut in Formula 1 after racing for Uni Virtuosi in Formula 2. Zhou was the runner up in Formula 2 Championship after Oscar Piastri claimed the F2 title. The two Alfa Romeo drivers set out to the track at Yas Marina with Bottas sporting 18 inch Pirelli tyres which are set for 2022. Zhou on the other hand, got to experience the Alfa Romeo 2021 car after getting acquainted with the Swiss team. However, Bottas was running on a mule car which Zhou will switch to on Wednesday for Pirelli tyre test.

Max Verstappen back on the track after maiden championship win

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago03 mins

2021 Formula one champion Max Verstappen has gone back to work just a day after winning Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday claiming the world title. Amid night long celebrations for the newly crowned champion, business was back to usual at Yas Marina Circuit as the Formula 1 Post Season test is underway. Pirelli is currently conducting tests on 18 inch tyres for the 2022 season as Young drivers get a chance to test the 2021 Formula 1 cars. Formula 1 teams are also making preparations for the 2022 Formula one season with their regular drivers as they run on the 18 inch rims. Some drivers also got the first chance to run for their new teams following the 2022 driver line-up announcements made through the season by the teams. This include George Russell who switched from Williams to Mercedes replacing Valtteri Bottas who was taken in by Alfa Romeo. Indycar Arrow SP McLaren driver Pato O’ Ward was also given a chance to test with McLaren Formula 1 team for the first time. Red Bull was also not left behind as they got to test their junior driver Liam Lawson. However, the 2021 DTM runner up did not test with the Red Bull car but alternatively went out with AlphaTauri. Formula 2 driver Logan Sargeant was also backed by Williams for the test while his fellow driver in F2 Oscar Piastri made a test debut with Alpine. Another F2 driver expected to make a debut in Formula 1 is Guanyu Zhou who will partner with Bottas in Alfa Romeo. The Post Season test is scheduled to run for two days as preparations are underway for the 2022 F1 season.

Max Verstappen parties all night after championship win

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago04 mins

After a thrilling and dramatic 2021 Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was crowned the champion after a last minute dash overtaking title rival Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen left nothing to imagination after clinching maiden Formula 1 title as celebrations for his victory kicked off almost immediately after the race. It was very evident his teammates at Red Bull were very overjoyed as they carried the new champ on their shoulders chanting songs and the party started. The team would later party all night and proved a little hard for Verstappen to leave early. The 24-year old found himself leaving the party at 0700 hrs local time as the sun was rising. Talking on a video call on Monday, the sleepy and tired Red Bull champion talked about the party. “All the emotions they come out… So it was a lot of fun. Of course when I woke up it wasn’t so fun. I maybe regretted that final drink,” Verstappen said. Verstappen also talked on receiving a congratulatory message from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. “Toto sent me a text… congratulations on on the season and that I deserve to win it,” Verstappen said. “So that was very nice of him, of course. Emotions run very high to that last lap from both teams. It is what it is. We will see.” Mercedes lost its initial protests at the track on Sunday. One of the protests centered on whether Verstappen broke rules by passing Hamilton before the safety car period had ended, the other on the restart procedure itself, and the number of lapped cars that were given the green light to overtake the safety car. Mercedes argued Hamilton would have won the race if all had overtaken the safety car due to the time required, making a final lap showdown impossible. The confusion over the regulations and application of them has led to calls for greater clarity. “You’re going to look into what can we do or what should have been done,” Verstappen said. “This is with all kinds of decisions, isn’t it? The same in football with the referee. Should it have been a penalty, shouldn’t it have been a penalty? What can we improve? Should we have had a different camera angle? All these kind of things, you’re going to bring up, for sure.”

Mercedes appeals rejected by F1 Stewards

Kevin Peterson3 years ago3 years ago05 mins

Formula 1 Stewards rejected two appeals lodged by Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton lost the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Verstappen won the last race of the season claiming his maiden Championship title after a controversial last minute move on Hamilton. The Dutchman was able to overtake the Mercedes driver on the final lap. Mercedes later launched a protest claiming that Verstappen initiated an overtake on Hamilton while the Safety Car was still on the track. The race stewards later dismissed the appeal citing that the pictures presented were inconclusive. Red Bull argued that Car 44 was not “overtaken” by Car 33, that both cars were “on and off the throttle” and that there were “a million precedents” under Safety Car where cars had pulled alongside then moved back behind the Car that was in front. Conclusions of the Stewards: The Stewards consider that the protest is admissible. Having considered the various statements made by the parties. The Stewards determine that although Car 33 did at one stage, for a very short period of time, move slightly in front of Car 44, at a time when both cars where accelerating and braking, it moved back behind Car 44 and it was not in front when the Safety Car period ended (i.e. at the line). The second appeal lodged by Mercedes was all about allowing lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car. After the Safety Car was brought out following Nicholas Latifi’s crash, Hamilton opted to stay on the track as Verstappen was called in to the pits for fresh tyres. Coming back to the track, the Red Bull driver was five lapped cars behind Hamilton. The Race Director later cleared the lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car, a move that directly landed Verstappen just behind Hamilton. Running on fresh soft tyres Verstappen had the advantage over Hamilton who had older tyres. The Race Stewards dismissed the protest stating that, Having considered the various statements made by the parties the Stewards determine the following: That Article 15.3 allows the Race Director to control the use of the safety car, which in our determination includes its deployment and withdrawal. That although Article 48.12 may not have been applied fully, in relation to the safety car returning to the pits at the end of the following lap, Article 48.13 overrides that and once the message “Safety Car in this lap” has been displayed, it is mandatory to withdraw the safety car at the end of that lap. That notwithstanding Mercedes’ request that the Stewards remediate the matter by amending the classification to reflect the positions at the end of the penultimate lap, this is a step that the Stewards believe is effectively shortening the race retrospectively, and hence not appropriate. Accordingly, the Protest is dismissed. The Protest Deposit is not refunded.