F1’s governing physique desires to conclude its inquiry into the occasions of Abu Dhabi by February 3 on the newest, with FIA to talk to all the important thing gamers; Lewis Hamilton’s future within the sport stays unsure for 2022 season
By Craig Slater and James Galloway
Final Up to date: 12/01/22 11:01pm
Sky Sports activities’ Craig Slater understands the FIA have allotted three weeks to decide on the controversial occasions of the Abu Dhabi GP
The FIA expects to finish its assessment into F1’s controversial title-deciding Abu Dhabi GP by early February on the newest.
Sky Sports activities has been informed the formal investigative aspect of the inquiry started on Monday and the inquiry workforce will purpose to interview all these concerned within the controversy, together with race director Michael Masi, stewards, drivers and workforce representatives.
Stewards submitted their report within the week after the race.
Peter Bayer, the FIA’s secretary basic of motor sport, is heading up the method.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who was elected FIA president on December 17, is taking a private involvement within the assessment and coping with it as a matter of urgency from the governing physique’s headquarters in Geneva.
F1’s governing physique has been in a transitional part with Jean Todt’s time period as president ending simply 5 days after the Abu Dhabi finale.
An FIA spokesperson mentioned the investigation might be ‘thorough, goal and clear’. The governing physique expects to finish the method in time for the following World Motor Sport Council assembly on February 3 on the newest.
The FIA dedicated to an “evaluation and clarification train” three days after the Abu Dhabi finale following discussions with Mercedes.
Though Mercedes withdrew their intent to attraction towards the race final result, they remained vastly angered and dismayed concerning the dealing with of the Security Automobile interval by Masi after a series of occasions which noticed Lewis Hamilton lose the world title on the ultimate lap to Max Verstappen.
Craig Slater experiences Lewis Hamilton’s return to Formulation 1 hangs on the FIA findings on the final lap controversy at Abu Dhabi
As revealed by Sky Sports activities on Monday, seven-time champion Hamilton’s future stays unclear forward of the 2022 season.
The result of the FIA’s assessment is known to be key to its decision.
Pre-season testing begins in Spain on February 23, with the season’s first race in Bahrain on March 20.
One month on from 2021’s controversial end
Expertise the unimaginable conclusion of the Abu Dhabi GP from on-board Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s vehicles and take heed to the workforce radios, together with Hamilton saying the race had been ‘manipulated’
January 12 marks precisely one month for the reason that highly-contentious conclusion to the 2021 season.
Hamilton has not spoken publicly for the reason that preliminary aftermath of the race, when he performed a quick pre-podium interview and congratulated Verstappen.
His solely identified touch upon the occasions of the ultimate laps is when he informed his race engineer “this has been manipulated” over workforce radio into the race’s closing corners.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed 4 days after the race the Briton felt “disillusioned” about what had unfolded, and mentioned he might provide no agency assurances that Hamilton would positively return to F1.
“It’ll take a very long time for us to digest what has occurred on Sunday. I do not suppose we are going to ever overcome it, that is not potential,” mentioned Wolff, who mentioned his driver had been “robbed” of the 2021 crown.
“And positively not him [Hamilton] as a driver. I’d very a lot hope the 2 of us and the remainder of the workforce we will work by the occasions… However he won’t ever overcome the ache and the misery that was brought on on Sunday.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton are disillusioned and the motive force won’t ever recover from what occurred on the ultimate lap in Abu Dhabi
Wolff added: “I’d very a lot hope Lewis continues racing as a result of he’s the best driver of all time.
“As a racer his coronary heart will say I must proceed as a result of he is on the peak of his sport. However we now have to beat the ache that was brought on upon him on Sunday. He’s a person with clear values.”
Wolff additionally made clear Mercedes would maintain the FIA “accountable” for delivering on their promise of a assessment, which is about to contain dialogue with groups and drivers.
Masi’s place, in the meantime, stays underneath big scrutiny.
Various senior figures inside Formulation 1 now take into account his place untenable. Sky Sports activities has realized a number of groups expressed a insecurity in his performances as race director in the course of the 2021 season.