Mercedes withdraws Abu Dhabi appeal

Mercedes has dropped its request versus the handling of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — confirming the results and Max Verstappen as drivers’ champion — but “will hold the FIA accountable” during its review process.

Following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday, the FIA spoken it will self-mastery “a detailed wringer and refinement exercise for the future” pursuit the reaction to the safety car usage and race resumption on Sunday. Pursuit that move, Mercedes has spoken it will not push superiority without previously lodging its intention to appeal, releasing a lengthy statement explaining its position.

“We left Abu Dhabi in misdoubt of what we had just witnessed,” the statement read. “Of course, it’s part of the game to lose a race, but it’s something variegated when you lose faith in racing.

“Together with Lewis, we have deliberated thoughtfully over how to respond to the events at the Formula 1 season finale. We have unchangingly been guided by our love of this sport and we believe that every competition should be won on merit. In the race on Sunday many felt, us included, that the way things unfolded was not right.

“The reason we protested the race result on Sunday was considering the safety car regulations were unromantic in a new way that unauthentic the race result, without Lewis had been in a commanding lead and on undertow to win the world championship.

“We appealed in the interest of sporting fairness, and we have since been in a constructive dialogue with the FIA and Formula 1 to create clarity for the future, so that all competitors know the rules under which they are racing, and how they will be enforced. Thus, we welcome the visualization by the FIA to install a legation to thoroughly unriddle what happened in Abu Dhabi and to modernize the robustness of rules, governance and visualization making in Formula 1. We moreover welcome that they have invited the teams and drivers to take part.

“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team will urgently work with this legation to build a largest Formula 1 — for every team and every fan who loves this sport as much as we do. We will hold the FIA subject for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal.”

The team was went on to congratulate Verstappen and Red Bull for their success, having been engaged in a thrilling wrestle that led to the two drivers inward the final round level on points.

“To Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing: we would like to express our sincere respect for your achievements this season. You made this Formula 1 championship title fight truly epic. Max, we congratulate you and your unshortened team. We squint forward to taking the fight to you on the track next season.”