Hamilton Asks Mercedes To Cancel Verstappen's Victory Appeal

Lewis Hamilton (Instagram @F1)

JAKARTA - Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton asked the team to cancel the plan to appeal Max Verstappen's victory. The plan was made following the success of his rival in capturing the 2020 F1 world title at the Abu Dhabi GP on Sunday, December 12.

Previously, it was known that Mercedes' protest against Verstappen's victory had been rejected by the International Automotive Federation (FIA). Following the refusal, Mercedes has until Thursday, December 16 afternoon Paris time to file an appeal.

Reporting from the Daily Mail, the filing of the protest was originally because Mercedes felt that the German factory team had serious problems. Through the team's lawyer, Paul Harris QC Mercedes believes the FIA Stewards made a mistake in F1 Abu Dhabi.

The same source later said Hamilton asked the team to cancel the plan to appeal the Abu Dhabi F1 results at the end of the remaining time.

"Lewis Hamilton has told Mercedes that he does not want his eighth F1 world title to be won through the courts. Accordingly, this Thursday the team will announce it will not appeal against Abu Dhabi's controversial F1 defeat in the race for the world title," wrote the Daily Mail.

Verstappen himself is said to have won the 2021 F1 world title in a controversial way. Because Hamilton, who had led the race until the last lap, was overtaken by Verstappen, who used new tires.

Mercedes then protested a number of steward decisions that allowed five cars in an over-lap position between Verstappen and Hamilton to overtake the safety car that appeared in the last few laps. The steward's decision made Verstappen easily overtake Hamilton on the last lap.

It is known, in racing regulations, overtaking in a safety car position is not allowed. Not only that, a number of Verstappen's maneuvers on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Circuit were also protested by Mercedes.