Mercedes have lodged two protests with the FIA following Lewis Hamilton’s defeat to Max Verstappen in a contentious Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the very last lap of the race after the safety car was deployed at the death for a crash by Nicholas Latifi.
Verstappen went on to win the race and his first world championship.
There was plenty of controversy during the safety car period, with a handful of lapped cars between erstwhile leader Hamilton and Verstappen initially not allowed to pass the Mercedes driver.
However, the FIA reversed their decision on lap 57 of 58 and allowed those lapped cars past Hamilton, putting Verstappen right on his tail.
Mercedes have lodged one protest concerning the sport’s rule that states the safety car will return to the pitlane the lap after the last lapped car has overtaken the leader.
This was not adhered to in Abu Dhabi as the race was restarted on the same lap the last lapped car went past.
The second protest concerns Verstappen potentially overtaking Hamilton before the start/finish line on the restart.
Neither the FIA nor Mercedes will be speaking publicly until after the hearing.
