Mercedes filed two complaints about how the end-of-GP safety car period ended, which saw Verstappen get the better of Hamilton in the final loop and win the race and the title.

Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of seven-time world champion, Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), and thus wins his first world title on December 12, 2021 KAMRAN JEBREILI POOL / AFP

According to official documents communicated by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), guarantor of the regulations in F1, the protagonists were to be heard by the stewards from 7:45 p.m. local (4:45 p.m. French).

Mercedes has confirmed this appeal but will not comment until the hearing is over.

The safety car entered the track after an accident for Canadian Nicholas Latifi (Williams) on lap 53.

At first, race director Michael Masi did not allow late drivers (including Verstappen who had changed tires) to return to their original positions, leaving five cars between the two rivals.

Then he changed his mind and allowed them to pass, replacing Verstappen behind Hamilton and giving him the possibility of passing him when the race resumed.

© 2021 AFP