© Sebastian Kawka for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix ltd.
Toto Wolff says he “would have been totally okay with Max and Red Bull winning the championship”, but “robbing” Lewis Hamilton “in the last lap of the racing, is unacceptable”.
After Mercedes announced they will not appeal the stewards’ decision to dismiss their protest over the irregular decisions that were made in the final laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Toto Wolff gave his thoughts on the controversial situation.
“To be honest, still today I can’t even understand what was happening,” the Austrian said.
“I mean, disbelief, for me it still feels surreal. And when I rethink the situation, that at 18:27 the right decision was being taken, that no cars will un-lap themselves, and four minutes later, out of nowhere, suddenly five cars were allowed to un-lap themselves between Lewis and Max.
“And 10 seconds later the decision was taken that the Safety Car would come in this lap with a handful of laps only left. To be honest, for me that still seems like a nightmare.
“That’s why I was in total disbelief on Sunday and am still until today.”
The decisions at the end were made by FIA race director Michael Masi, who broke Safety Car rules and protocols and created a situation where Max Verstappen got served the race win and the championship on a silver platter.
When Wolff told Masi over the radio that his decision was not right, the race director quickly dismissed him by saying “Toto, it’s called a motor race”.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
Asked if he discussed what happened with Masi since then, Wolff said he has no interest in talking to him.
“I’m not interested in having a conversation with Michael Masi,” he continued.
“The decisions that have been taken in the last four minutes of the race have dropped Lewis Hamilton of a deserved world championship. His driving in the last four races particularly was faultless.
“He had a commanding lead on Sunday in Abu Dhabi from the get go. He won the start and he never gave the lead away again. And robbing him in the last lap of the racing, is unacceptable.
“That’s why from a personal standpoint, from a professional standpoint, my values, my sense of integrity, just isn’t compatible to the decisions that have been made on Sunday.
“And it is up to the FIA to decide going forward how these decisions, how these situations, can be avoided.
“I would have been totally okay with Max and Red Bull winning the championship on Sunday. This situation has nothing to do with Max.
“He is a worthy champion, his driving is exceptional, and Red Bull are fierce competitors, and I have the greatest respect of the people working there. This has nothing to do with them.”
“If you look at most of the controversies that have happened this year it was about sporting decisions on the track, the inconsistency of the execution of the regulations on track.
“It is one thing to drive hard and have difference of opinion among drivers and teams, it is the nature of the game.
“But inconsistent decision-making leads to controversies, leads to polarisation and that was the grounds for many of the totally unnecessary controversies on the track.
“How can it be that 14 months ago at the Eifel Grand Prix the explanation that was given was exactly the contrary to what has happened on Sunday?
“The explanation that was given that the reason why the Safety Car was out so long is that all cars need to unlap themselves. With the explanation that this is following the sporting regulations.
“Not only has the decision been taken in a totally opposite way, but there is an explanation being made 180-degree different to what went on 14 months ago,” concluded the Austrian.
