P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Court decision shows Mercedes would have lost 2021 Abu Dhabi F1 appeal
After a mistake by race director Michael Masi during the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Mercedes lodged two protests, claiming that Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton under the safety car and that not all the unlapped cars were allowed to unlap themselves. Both protests were dismissed, and Mercedes had 96 hours to decide whether to proceed with an appeal. During this time, the FIA confirmed that it would review the events of the race, but Mercedes ultimately decided not to appeal, citing their love for the sport and belief in fairness. They expressed the intention to work with the FIA to create clarity and accountability. A similar disputed use of the safety car occurred in an International GT Open event in Spielberg, where the result was not changed despite a protest and subsequent appeal.
