Mercedes may renege on their intended appeal of the results of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sky F1 commentator David Croft has opined.
Mercedes were infuriated when race director Michael Masi allowed just five lapped cars to go through past the Safety Car, clearing the path for Max Verstappen to pass Sir Lewis Hamilton and claim his first world title in a dramatic final lap.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff seethed on the radio to Masi, and the Austrian refused to speak to the media following the season finale.
Having seen an initial protest of Masi’s decision rejected by the stewards, Mercedes instantly lodged an intention to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but Croft believes that this would be in bad taste.
“It sounds like Mercedes will probably back off from a further appeal, they don’t want to look like bad losers,” he told Sky F1.
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Croft also stated that Mercedes should focus on celebrating their Constructors’ Championship success in 2021, and he suggested that appealing the results of the Abu Dhabi GP would damage Formula 1’s reputation.
“They have a championship to celebrate, they are Constructors’ Champions for a record-breaking eighth consecutive time.
“They don’t to drag this on and damage the reputation of the sport, they just want to give the man they think should be champion the best chance of being champion. They felt robbed by what happened.”
Furthermore, the commentator who joined Sky in 2012, sees an appeal as a mountain that Mercedes cannot climb.
“To put it in simple context, if it was to go to the FIA Court of Appeal, Mercedes would have to overturn the result of the stewards, the result of the race and the result of the championship. That is a pretty big ask.”
As a result, Croft maintains that the appeal is very likely to fail and Mercedes should back down.
“I can’t see it happening and I don’t think there is a precedent for three big events like that to be overturned and I don’t think Mercedes will continue on with this appeal.”
Verstappen is set to be officially crowned 2021 F1 World Champion during Thursday’s FIA Prize Giving Gala.
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