Ex-Formula 1 driver Jan Lammers has criticized Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton for refusing to take responsibility for their tactical deficiencies at the end of the season-defining Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Max Verstappen sealed his first triumph in the drivers’ championship on the last lap of the race under controversial circumstances after a late safety car brought the Dutchman back into the race at the last moment.
The 24-year-old benefited from the decision by FIA Race Director Michael Masi to only allow a few lapped cars to pull out before restarting on the last lap.
This allowed Verstappen to get close to Hamilton on much fresher tires than its Mercedes counterpart before making his way forward to reach the checkered flag.
Red Bull decided to pit the newly crowned world champion under the safety car for a new set of softs while Hamilton was told to stay outside.
The latter therefore had to try to defend his lead on worn, hard tires, so that he was just a sitting duck on the last lap of the race.
Lammers has since slammed at Mercedes over their decision to protest the result, insisting they were responsible for Hamilton’s defeat after failing Red Bull’s risk with a late pit stop.
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“They all make their decisions and in the end, at the end of the race, you can see which ones were the right ones,” Lammers told Motorsport.com.
“If you haven’t made the right decisions under these circumstances, as in the case of Mercedes, then you shouldn’t start around the bush and blame others. Then you really just have to put your hand in your own pocket.
“At the time the yellow flag and the safety car were there, it was six corners for Mercedes and Hamilton to consider whether or not to enter.
“Lewis drove past the accident on [Nicholas] Latifi, you had enough time and enough people behind the scenes to think about strategy.
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“So I think you can assume they had every opportunity to make a decision about whether to come in or not. They made up their minds not to get in, that was their choice.
“Of course, Verstappen was in a better position because he was a little later. But that doesn’t mean that Mercedes didn’t have a choice.
“It’s a decision you make, good or bad. I understand it’s difficult, but when you make that decision, accept that it wasn’t the right decision.”
Mercedes announced that it would appeal the FIA’s decision to reject the first protests after the end of the race.
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However, they chose to withdraw their complaints Thursday to focus on holding the motorsport governing body accountable in their efforts to prevent a future recurrence.
Wolff later stated that while Mercedes believed they had a case, they were not convinced of the likelihood that the FIA would rule in their favor.
“The FIA cannot really grade their homework, there is a difference between law and justice,” Wolff told reporters at a press conference.
“It will take us a long time to digest what happened on Sunday. I don’t think we’ll ever get over it, it won’t work.”
