The FIA, Formula One’s governing body, has announced that at the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it will conduct an “analysis and clarification exercise” into the controversial events.
The FIA said in a statement released after a scheduled meeting of its World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday that outgoing president Jean Todt had proposed further discussion to provide clarity for teams and drivers before the 2022 season.
The governing body claimed that the closing laps’ events, as well as interactions between Race Control and the teams, overseen by race director Michael Masi, “created significant misunderstanding and reactions from Formula 1 teams, drivers, and fans.”
After Lewis Hamilton was overhauled for the race win and world title by Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, who was on new tyres, Mercedes were enraged by Masi’s handling of the race’s closing laps and argued that the Sporting Regulations had not been followed correctly.
On Sunday night, the team filed a protest against the result. Despite the fact that stewards concluded Masi lacked the ability to override some regulations, Mercedes has filed a notice of intent to appeal with the FIA’s International Court of Appeal, with a deadline of Thursday to formalize any such challenge.
“At every event, the FIA’s fundamental responsibility is to safeguard the safety of all participants and the sport’s integrity,” according to a statement.
"The circumstances surrounding the use of the Safety Car following the incident of driver Nicholas Latifi, and the related communications between the FIA Race Direction team and the Formula 1 teams, have notably generated significant misunderstanding and reactions from Formula 1 teams, drivers and fans, an argument that is currently tarnishing the image of the Championship and the due celebration of the first Drivers' World Championship title won by Max Verstappen and the eighth consecutive Constructors' World Championship title won by Mercedes.
Mercedes believes Masi broke the rules by allowing only five of the eight lapped runners – the five in the line between Hamilton and Verstappen – to unlap themselves before restarting the race on the next lap.
Drivers were also confused as a result of the decision.
On new soft tyres, McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo was the first of the three drivers who were not allowed to pass. In radio transmissions to the team, the Australian stated that the decision had been made “”Seems peculiar,” he commented after finishing the final lap, adding, “Glad I’m not a part of that.” Whatever had just occurred appeared to be quite messed up.”
Before the race resumed, the five cars that were released received the signal to do so at Turn Nine, near the final sector of the penultimate lap.
