Wolff explains how Mercedes knew FIA would not grant it justice – “We would’ve won the case in regular court”

Toto Wolff sent a strong message to F1 and its higher-ups and proceeded to tear into the FIA and everyone involved.

Wolff was absolutely livid with the farce of Abu Dhabi, where his team was robbed of the Drivers’ Championship thanks to a calamitous decision from the FIA. It cost them the championship double, and they were not happy with it.

The team took the case to the FIA, but the stewards rejected it. They challenged the rejection and expressed their intent to go higher, but backtracked on the decision and withdrew their appeal.

Wolff sent a strong messages to F1 and its higher-ups, and went on a rant about how the sport collectively robbed them.

“We believe we had a very strong case if you look at it from the legal side,” he said, as quoted by f1i.com.

“If it would have been judged in a regular court, it is almost guaranteed that we would have won.

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W12 leads behind the Aston Martin FIA Safety Car. 12.12.2021. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina
The image preceding unfortunate events. Source: XPB

“But the problem with the ICA is the way it’s structured. The FIA can’t really mark their own homework. And there’s a difference between being right and obtaining justice.”

Not fair

“I don’t think that at the moment we are set up in terms of our governance to end up in a situation that would have given us a remedy that would have reinstalled the result that was taken away from Lewis (Hamilton) before the last lap of the race,” he continued.

“That’s why, heavy-hearted, we decided not to appeal because we wouldn’t have gotten the result back.

“Every step of the way it was joint decisions. We decided together with Lewis to protest, to launch the appeal and to withdraw the appeal.”

Read more: Croft decodes why Wolff and Hamilton snubbed FIA gala

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