Mercedes team post-title appeal now suddenly in doubt?
Dec.14 - Max Verstappen has revealed that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff finally offered belated congratulations for his title win the day after Sunday's epic and controversial 2021 season finale.
While Lewis Hamilton and his father Anthony both personally congratulated the new world champion immediately after the race in Abu Dhabi, a furious Wolff chose instead to focus on first protesting and then vowing to appeal the decisions of race management.
But it now emerges that Mercedes may in fact let Thursday's deadline for pushing ahead with the appeal process pass, with London's Times newspaper saying Wolff fears a PR backlash and reputational damage.
Red Bull clearly intends to fight any official appeal, with Red Bull boss Christian Horner flying back to the UK to prepare for that rather than taking part in any extended celebrations in the Middle East.
Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone certainly advises Mercedes to drop it.
When told that Hamilton suspected the FIA had "manipulated" the race result, Ecclestone said: "I'd like to know who has been manipulating and is clever enough to do that.
"This was just a set of circumstances that happened and it ended an incredible world championship that I'm sure everyone was more than happy to watch.
"I think an appeal would be the worst thing they could do. It would look like they are bad losers," the 91-year-old insisted.
Ecclestone also told the Munchner Merkur newspaper: "Mercedes build probably the best cars in the world.
"But the star will get immensely scratched if they go ahead with this protest."
Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko goes a step further than that, saying an appeal against 24-year-old Verstappen's first world championship would actually be "disgusting".
So after a night of hard-partying in Abu Dhabi that even involved crowd-surfing, Wolff changed his tune on Monday by finally sending Verstappen a message.
"Toto sent me a text," the Dutchman confirmed. "Congratulations on the season and that I deserve to win it. So that was very nice of him."
Verstappen said emotions were "very high" all round after the sensational last lap of the 2021 season, but he said he appreciated Hamilton's immediate congratulations.
"Lewis came straight to me after the race, which proves that he is a great sportsman and that we respect each other," he said.
"Of course I sympathise with him," Verstappen continued. "He did everything right during the whole race.
"It could have gone the other way - that I control the race and lose it on the last lap. It's unfortunate, but that's just racing."
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Hi All,
I never thought I would see the day when FIA became another WWF.
I mean wow, its worse than Nascar at least they don't pretend to have any rules just bang the car in front of you on the last lap the race is yours as long as you can turn left.
I don't know how this can be repaired do you?
Cheers,
Ivan
I have been following F1 since the days of the amazing Nigel Mansel, a true hero of the sport. Watching Sir Lewis and Totto Wolff doing there utmost best to control the season and Sir Lewis to being an F1 thug, if he could not get his way it is like a spoilt 5 year old brat that can't get his way.
In my thoughts the day Sir Lewis and Totto Wolff retire from the F1 stage, F1 will become a true sport again.
I have been following F1 since the days of the amazing Nigel Mansel, a true hero of the sport. Watching Sir Lewis and Totto Wolff doing there utmost best to control the season and Sir Lewis to being an F1 thug, if he could not get his way it is like a spoilt 5 year old brat that can't get his way.
In my thoughts the day Sir Lewis and Totto Wolff retire from the F1 stage, F1 will become a true sport again.
Quite agree Silly Dunce, it’s most unfair on that nice polite considerate young man Maxy and the quiet shy RB boys who just like a friendly chat with that MM when he’s feeling a bit stressed.
LH & Merc should be banned. Um might be a shortage of engines though. Still about time F1 went electric.
your not retired so much , but tiresome
Ahhh, music to my ears Soppyfly.
Tell the other teams to build a better car then you mug!
Pitting under a safety car should not be allowed other than to remedy, if possible, any damage incurred in the incident that called for the safety car. This would remove the lottery that now happens when tires are changed and the whole race order can be turned on its head.
Agreed, only F1 allows it adds to the carnival.
The F1 race control haven't worked their butts off to get a car in top nick, only to see it beaten by a wave of the wicked fairy's wand (Masi)
high way robbery I say. plus new FIA boss. FIA is getting more middle east oriented. A good guess is the Arabs have the money to maniplate. just a guess.
high way .robbery plus new FIA boss. FIA is getting more middle east oriented. A good guess is the Arabs have the money to maniplate. just a guess.
F1 as we know it is finished. But is that such a bad thing? Grooming kids for any sport from 4 years old to win at all costs and become role models for the next generation to do the same, is that a good thing?
For every Hamilton or Verstappen there are thousands of kids driven by their parents and coaches to perform beyond their capabilities, even as far as buying a F1 team.
Fortunately you can’t buy happiness, only living life to old fashioned values of integrity and fair play will do that. Is Lewis happy? Will Max be happy when he realises the true cost of achievements? What do you think?
Now Hamilton May be punished for not attending the fia’s awards ceremony! No doubt they are so up themselves they will try to make him race next year. Maybe they think having dinner and a nice chat with Masi would be good pr. Idiots, do they think we are that stupid.
Get out and as far away from this corrupted sham of a sport as you can Lewis. There are so many more worthwhile things you can do.