Mercedes’ Request to Review Verstappen/Hamilton Incident in Brazil Rejected

The FIA have rejected the right to review brought up by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team over the incident between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen during the São Paulo Grand Prix last weekend.

Mercedes felt there was evidence that had not been used during the race at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace when Verstappen and Hamilton went side-by-side into turn four on lap forty-eight. 

Verstappen’s front-facing camera that would have shown the steering input from the Red Bull Racing driver was not available when stewards deemed no action was necessary as both drivers ran off track.

However, the FIA felt that the camera view did not offer any more information than they already had about the incident, and they rejected Mercedes’ request, meaning Verstappen will escape without being penalised.

“The Stewards often must make a decision quickly and on a limited set of information,” said the FIA statement.  “At the time of the decision, the Stewards felt they had sufficient information to make a decision, which subsequently broadly aligned with the immediate post‐race comments of both drivers involved.

“Had they felt that the forward‐facing camera video from Car 33 was crucial in order to take a decision, they would simply have placed the incident under investigation – to be investigated after the race – and rendered a decision after this video was available. They saw no need to do so.

“The Competitor’s position is that this new Footage provides sufficient information for the Stewards to come to an altogether different conclusion than they did previously. However, the Stewards determine that the Footage shows nothing exceptional that is particularly different from the other angles that were available to them at the time, or that particularly changes their decision that was based on the originally available footage.

“Unlike the 2020 Austria case, in the judgement of the Stewards, there is nothing in the Footage that fundamentally changes the facts. Nor even, does this show anything that wasn’t considered by the Stewards at the time. Thus, the Stewards determine that the Footage, here, is not “Significant.”

“The Stewards find, in their sole discretion, that:
· With the reservations raised above, the decision is subject to the Right of Review;
· That the Footage is New;
· That the Footage was Unavailable to the Competitor at the time of the decision subject to the petition for review;
· That the Footage is Relevant; but
· That the Footage is not Significant;

“The four key points required under Art. 14.1.1 are not met and the Stewards, therefore, deny the Competitor’s Right of Review.”