Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have boycotted the season-ending FIA awards ceremony, as Toto Wolff’s wife launched a furious spray aimed at Australian race director Michael Masi.
In a sign that the drama of the last week shows no signs of abating, Hamilton was a no-show in Paris, despite being required to attend the ceremony after finishing second in the championship.
Team boss Toto Wolff also boycotted the event, “because of my loyalty to Lewis and because of my own personal integrity.”
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Wolff’s wife, Susie, herself a former driver who has taken part in Formula 1 practice sessions, has used a social media post to slam the sport for last weekend’s controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
What should have been one of the sport’s finest moments has instead been overshadowed by acrimony that the FIA admits has “tarnished” the sport.
“What has happened is still hard to comprehend and leaves me with a sick feeling,” Wolff wrote.
“Not the losing — and not Max (Verstappen) or Red Bull — they are deserving winners and we always knew it was a strong possibility we may not win — but the way in which Lewis was robbed has left me in utter disbelief.”
https://twitter.com/Susie_Wolff/status/1471400042527346689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“The decision of one person within the governing body who applied a rule in a way that has never been done before in F1 single handedly decided the F1 driver world championship.
“Rules are rules. They can’t be changed on a whim by one individual.”
Writing in his Sky Sports column, former driver and now leading commentator Martin Brundle said the finish to the season must be the catalyst for change.
“Despite the most incredible and exciting season of Formula 1, arguably the best in its 70+ year history, there’s been mostly vitriol and anger from a heavily polarised paddock and fan base along the way. That’s such a shame,” he wrote.
“The final few laps in Abu Dhabi, when the world’s eyes were on us in staggering numbers, were not our finest moment and some things have to change this winter.”
Brundle wrote that Masi, as race director, understandably didn’t want the race to finish behind the safety car, leading to the situation that saw some, but not all cars waved through to un-lap themselves.
“I’m not going to make any accusations here whatsoever that there was any malice or intent in those decisions and actions because I have zero evidence or expectations in that respect, and you’ve all made your minds up anyway,” he said.
“I can understand why Mercedes and team Hamilton feel aggrieved, just as Red Bull would have done if the race finished behind the safety car. Talk about being between rock and a hard place.”
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