Monday, December 13, 2021
“Unworthy of a World Cup final”
Red Bull hands out mightily against Mercedes
The world championship decision in Formula 1 is made in the last few meters of the last race of the season. In a memorable round, Max Verstappen grabs his first title, Lewis Hamilton is left behind. Mercedes protests. Vain. And is then attacked by Red Bull.
Red Bull’s head of motorsport Helmut Marko has once again sharply criticized rival Mercedes after its protests at the memorable Formula 1 season finale. “It is unworthy of a World Cup final that the decision is delayed like that. But that speaks for the attitude of, I would say, an unworthy loser if you lodge such objections and protests,” said the Austrian after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the World Cup triumph of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. It was disgusting to lodge a protest where it was clear that it would not work, Marko said.
He himself threatened protests from Red Bull on a few occasions this season and often tried to stir up further unrest in the already charged title fight between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as well as Red Bull and Mercedes. Now after a controversial decision by the race management at the finals in the United Arab Emirates, he settled again with the rival, who had won all titles since and including 2014.
It can be speculated how Marko and Red Bull would have reacted if Verstappen had been the victim and not the beneficiary of the decision of the race management, through the Verstappen on the last lap after a safety car phase, the opportunity for the title-deciding attack against Hamilton got.
Mercedes appeals
Aside from the protest and the announcement after its refusal to have deposited a note for an appeal, there have been no further reactions from Mercedes. After the victory of Verstappen, the Silver Arrows objected to two alleged breaches of the rules. Both incidents related to the last safety car phase shortly before the end, when Verstappen was finally able to overtake Hamilton and become world champion for the first time.
The first protest related to the fact that Verstappen should have illegally overtaken Hamilton during the safety car phase. The stewards also assessed the objection as admissible and agreed that the Dutchman is said to have been slightly ahead of the British “for a very short period of time”. At the end of the safety car phase, however, this no longer applied.
In a second protest, Mercedes complained about the allegedly incorrect procedure during the last safety car phase. In essence, it was about the fact that the safety car should have stayed outside longer – then the race behind Bernd Mayländer’s car would have ended and Hamilton would have become world champion. Because overtaking is then no longer allowed. The stewards also rejected this protest.