After Hamilton’s defeat by Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, the result of the FIA’s safety car restart call, which enabled Verstappen to drive one final lap in their winning take-all showdown for the drivers’ championship, the Mercedes – Driver and his boss declined to attend the annual awards ceremony.
Hamilton’s absence as runner-up in the title hunt is a violation of F1 sporting regulations that could lead to a possible sanction by the governing body.
But while Mercedes’ ongoing frustration with the Abu Dhabi controversy was the main topic of conversation before the gala, Todt insisted that he did not want to ruin the event with the negative situation.
Instead, he said the focus should be on celebrating Verstappen’s title win. The Dutchman won his first trophy in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship after Mercedes decided to withdraw his appeal in the outcome of the Abu Dhabi race.
When asked about his feelings about the absence of Hamilton and Wolff, Todt said, “I think we should celebrate tonight instead of trying to get into some kind of controversy. It makes no sense. What would there be?
“I think, in a way, I’m sorry, because Mercedes should have a lot more reward than eight-time world champions are unique to manufacturers.
“But this young guy [Verstappen] did an excellent job and that’s what we should focus on instead of saying, “Are we going to punish?” [Hamilton] because he’s not coming? ‘”
Todt added that he would have loved to celebrate another great season for Hamilton, in a year he thought Mercedes was the better squad.
Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner shakes hands with runner-up Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Photo by: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Todt described Hamilton as “an outstanding champion” and said he would be missed at the event.
“He was an amazing combination. Probably [the] best car and best team and he never makes a mistake, “he said.
“Easy this time [Max] Won 10 Grand Prix and we should find that remarkable. “
Todt is leaving his role as FIA president on Friday, but prior to his departure, he set up an investigation to look into what happened when the safety car restarted in Abu Dhabi – and see what rule changes can be made in the future to ensure that there is no repetition.
“Are we perfect? We’re not perfect, ”he said. “And that’s why, by the way, I suggested doing a full review to see what needs improvement in the face of events. Not just for this race, but also for what happened over the course of the year.
“Should we refuse if we can improve? We shouldn’t. We have to be perfectionists, and in a way Formula 1 is the result of perfection.
“You know, a great driver is not enough. A great car is not enough. So everything has to be combined in order to be successful. “
The Safety Car Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
Todt admits that Verstappen was lucky when the safety car restarted in Abu Dhabi, but he thinks that there have been times during the season when Verstappen lost through no fault of his own.
“I think he gets what he deserves,” said Todt.
“He’s had a great season. It’s human to focus on the last lap. It’s true that he was very lucky on the last lap.
“But you should see the whole season. Is he lucky at Silverstone? Is he lucky in Azerbaijan? Is he lucky in Budapest? He hasn’t, you know.”
