The FIA responded to Mercedes’ appeal of their decisions, saying that they were ruining the sport.
The stewards have been caught in a PR fiasco ever since their calamitous blunder at the Abu Dhabi GP. Their decision ended up influencing the championship result and was a disgrace on all levels.
The International Automobile Federation commented on the incident, saying that “a detailed analysis and clarification exercise for the future” would be carried out.
“This matter will be discussed and addressed with all the teams and drivers to draw any lessons from this situation,” their statement read.
The affected party was Mercedes, who appealed against the FIA’s decision. Their protests were turned down, meaning they might very well appeal to a higher authority.
The FIA responded to Mercedes’ appeal of their decisions, saying that their relentless pursuit was giving F1 a bad name.
In a statement as quoted by Metro USA, the FIA said there had been a “significant misunderstanding” of the situation, and that Mercedes’ appeals and protests were “tarnishing the image of the championship” and the “due celebration” of the season winners.
To do better
The statement also emphasised on the FIA’s wish to provide clarity to all drivers, teams, fans and media houses regarding the rules. According to the stewards, they want “to preserve the competitive nature of our sport while ensuring the safety of the drivers and officials.
“It is not only Formula One that may benefit from this analysis, but also more generally all the other FIA circuit championships,” it concluded.
There have been widespread criticisms and appeals from fans to come to a decision. Many accused the FIA of catering to theatrics, drama and spectacle, and lamented their treatment of the driver on course to winning the championship before they intervened.
Read more: Vettel voices popular fan sentiment in outburst against the FIA