14/12/2021
NEWS STORY
Just 24 hours after a controversial Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, there is talk on social media that Mercedes will not proceed with its appeal of the stewards decision to protest the events during the safety car period.
Duncan Bagshaw, a partner at the law firm Howard Kennedy, who specialises in international arbitration and litigation, believes that Mercedes has no choice but to challenge the stewards decision.
"There was a challenge to the FIA last night which was resolved very quickly," he tells Pitpass. "The FIA, marking its own homework, perhaps unsurprisingly said that they stood by the decision of the race director Michael Masi.
"Mercedes do have a case," he continues, "and I think it is quite likely they will take it to a court of arbitration because so much turns on the outcome of these races they may feel they really have no choice.
"This decision was by the race director himself applying a rule under the regulations which is, I would say, very clear and quite explicit about what has to happen in this situation.
"Everybody wanted to see that race finish in racing conditions but the rule makes it very clear that any cars that have been lapped by the leader have to be allowed to pass the leading cars and the safety car before the race is restarted and he did not allow that to happen.
"It's very important for Mercedes to give the message that racing is the most important thing to this sport and that they respect the outcome of the race on the track but they must also accept the fact that commercially this is a sport that revolves around money. They have obligations to Lewis Hamilton, their team, their sponsors and many other people, it may be not so much they want to challenge this decision, that they want this season to be decided before a committee of arbitrators but simply that they don't have any choice."
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