Mercedes could call on review of Max incident
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team could call on Formula One’s stewards to reconsider their decision not to penalise Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Hamilton won the Interlagos race following a superb comeback drive, but Verstappen escaped punishment for runninghisrivalofftheroadas they duelled for first position.
The stewards noted the incident before looking at the footage and choosing not to launchaformalinvestigation– adecisionMercedesteamprincipal Toto Wolff described as “laughable”.
FIA race director Michael MasilaterrevealedthattheonboardvideofromVerstappen’s car was not available when the stewards acted.
AndthePAnewsagencyunderstands that Mercedes have not ruled out exercising their right to review the flashpoint.
The FIA’s International Sporting Code allows a right to review on the grounds that “a significantandrelevantnewelementisdiscoveredwhichwas unavailabletothepartiesseekingthereviewatthetimeofthe decision concerned”.
A retrospective five-second time penalty for Verstappenwouldseehimdropbehind Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to third in Sunday’s result – reducing his championship advantage over Hamilton from 14 to 11 points. A grid penalty could also be an optiontothestewardsiftheincident is reviewed.
On top of Verstappen not being penalised, Mercedes were furious that Hamilton was disqualified from qualifying when the rear wing on his Mercedes car failed a scrutineeringtestby0.2millimetres, and the British driver’s £4,200 fine for undoing his seatbelts as he celebrated his once-in-alifetime comeback triumph.