The footage that F1 was dying to see was revealed today and Mercedes immediately used it to launch an attack on Max Verstappen.
Mercedes has asked for a right to review the controversial dispute between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at Monday’s Brazilian Grand Prix (AEDT) after new footage of the clash emerged.
The wheel-to-wheel incident on lap 48 at Interlagos caused a lot of drama when Verstappen appeared to run off both himself and Hamilton when he took a flat line at Turn 4 after the Silver Arrows star took him overtook and controlled the racetrack in the bend. Verstappen didn’t give in an inch.
Stream every training session, every qualification and every race of the FIA Formula One World Championship 2021 
Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial>
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was furious, Verstappen avoided any penalty and was convinced that the Dutchman defended too aggressively when title rivals Hamilton tried to overtake him.
The stewards at the time decided that no action was required, and the FIA later confirmed that officials were not viewing the video from Verstappen’s on-board camera before announcing there would be no investigation.
F1 analysts said the on-board video would be crucial in determining if Verstappen crossed the line, but it hasn’t been available until now.
The release of the new footage led Mercedes to request a review and the team made an official statement on Wednesday morning.
“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team has confirmed that today we are requesting a right of review under Article 14.1.1 of the International Sports Code with regard to the incident at Turn 4 between vehicle 44 and vehicle 33 in the 48th round of the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix “based on new evidence not available to the stewards at the time of their decision,” the team said.
Hamilton overtook Verstappen 11 laps later and won the Grand Prix, described by many as one of the seven-time world champion’s greatest drives. In the drivers’ standings, with three outstanding races of the season, Verstappen is only 14 points ahead.
F1 Race Director Michael Masi said the sports association requested the on-board material from Verstappen’s Red Bull because it could be a “smoking weapon” that provides new evidence of what really happened on lap 48.
“Could be, absolutely. Maybe, ”he said. “But no, we didn’t have access to it. And obviously it is being downloaded. And as soon as the commercial rights holder delivers it, we’ll take a look. “
Wolff said after the race that it was “ridiculous”. After the stewards upheld a Red Bull complaint that its DRS system (the flap on the rear wing of the car that opens to reach top speed) exceeded the permissible limits.
Hamilton recovered in the main event for a jaw-dropping win, but Wolff still wants to take action against Verstappen as a five-second penalty would have put the youngster in third place behind Valtteri Bottas – and with it the championship gap between him and Hamilton further reduced and Mercedes a plus in the constructors’ standings.
“It was really a wrong defense by Max, absolutely an inch over the limit, but he had to do that to defend,” said Wolff.
“Lewis did it even more brilliantly by avoiding contact and ending the race like that.
“But that was just over the target, it should have been at least a five-second penalty. Max probably knew that. Just sweep under the rug, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
“It’s just ridiculous.
“We had many, many slaps in the face that weekend with decisions that could have fluctuated for both sides, against us or for us.
“Whenever the decisions are against you, it’s just something I’m just angry about.”
With AFP
The post Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton: On-board footage of the Brazilian Grand Prix revealed first appeared on monter-une-startup.
