The recent British Grand Prix has once again sparked debate about race directing decisions, with Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes, expressing his wish that the end of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP had been managed similarly to the Silverstone race.
The British GP finished under the safety car, leaving many fans disappointed and with waves of boos in the stands. This reaction came after a communication error briefly displayed an incorrect message announcing the last lap.
The governing body of the competition, the FIA, clarified that its procedures had been followed correctly, including article B5.13.5, which states that an additional lap must be completed after lapped cars are allowed to overtake.
Wolff humorously commented that he would have preferred if the situation in Abu Dhabi had been resolved with the same regulations as in Silverstone. “I would have preferred if this had happened in 2021. It was more important,” he pointed out, but acknowledged that the rules had been applied properly.
The head of Mercedes admitted that, although a race restart would have been more exciting, finishes under the safety car are part of the dynamic of Formula 1. “Sometimes you can’t have the most exciting finish. Certainly, everyone would want to see a duel between Lewis and Leclerc on soft tires,” he said.
Additionally, George Russell, Wolff’s teammate, expressed that it’s important to maintain the same safety conditions throughout the race, regardless of whether it’s the end of a race or an earlier moment. “It’s a shame that any race ends behind the safety car, but that’s how competition is,” he commented.
With this decision, Russell secured second place and 18 valuable points for the championship. While Ferrari opted to bring Lewis Hamilton into the pits to change tires, Mercedes chose to maintain track position.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
