Mercedes has asked for a reappraisal of the overtaking incidental involving satellite champion Lewis Hamilton and rubric rival Max Verstappen during the Brazilian Grand Prix, the Formula One squad said yesterday.
Verstappen was starring the contention connected Lap 48 erstwhile the Red Bull operator defended an onslaught from Hamilton connected Turn 4 and appeared to propulsion the Mercedes prima wide disconnected track.
Both were capable to proceed and Hamilton overtook Verstappen for bully connected Lap 59 astatine Interlagos to triumph and slash the Dutchman's wide pb to 14 points, contempt starting Sunday's contention from 10th spot connected the grid.
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Race stewards noted the incidental astatine the clip but rapidly concluded nary further enactment was indispensable arsenic they considered it a racing incident.
"I deliberation it was a bully battle," Verstappen said aft the race. "I mean we some of people tried to beryllium up into the country truthful I braked a spot precocious to get that position. I was connected the borderline of grip. That's wherefore I deliberation I was already connected the apex and it's a safer mode of moving a spot wide there. In a way, I was blessed stewards decided we could support connected racing."
Hamilton appeared to motion it disconnected successful his post-race property conference.
"I didn't deliberation excessively overmuch of it and evidently I'll person to ticker the replay, but it's hard battling and wouldn't expect thing little really," the British operator said. "We didn't interaction wheels, which is good."
But present Mercedes said it is appealing "on the ground of caller grounds unavailable to the stewards astatine the clip of their decision."
The stewards indispensable present conscionable with representatives from the squad to measure the caller evidence. Governing assemblage FIA request to corroborate if they judge the review.
There are 3 races near successful a thrilling title conflict heading into this Sunday's inaugural Qatar GP. If the reappraisal concludes determination was wrongdoing connected Verstappen's part, helium could perchance beryllium deed with a grid punishment for that contention oregon a five-second clip penalty. Verstappen finished the contention successful 2nd spot up of Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas. A five-second clip punishment would driblet him to 3rd and trim his wide pb from 14 points to 11.
The 36-year-old Hamilton is bidding for an eighth satellite rubric to determination 1 up of Michael Schumacher and basal unsocial among F1 greats, portion the 24-year-old Verstappen seeks his first.
Verstappen leads Hamilton 9-6 for wins aft 19 races this season, and they person been progressive successful 2 heated incidents.
Hamilton was penalised for knocking Verstappen retired of the British GP successful July with an assertive overtake and went connected to win, portion the drivers collided heavy and some went retired of the Italian GP successful September.
After Qatar, the play concludes with the inaugural Saudi Arabian GP successful the Red Sea larboard metropolis of Jeddah and the last contention nether floodlights successful Abu Dhabi.
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