Formula 1 season officials have rejected Mercedes’ request for a driving test for Max Verstappen at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Brazilian stewards ruled that an investigation was unnecessary after Verstappen showed up to force open Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes.
The FIA governing body said Mercedes’ appeal had failed the test to present significant new evidence in the case.
Hamilton then passed Verstappen to win the race last Sunday.
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Mercedes had requested the review on the grounds that the onboard camera images of the two cars were not available when the stewards decided not to investigate during the race.
The incident in question occurred on the 48th lap of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos.
Hamilton attempted to pass Verstappen on the outside of turn four, but the Red Bull driver swerved and they both ended up going off the track in the start area.
The Mercedes driver overtook Verstappen 11 and later took the victory away from the Neeland in the championship by 14 points.
The stewards of the Brazilian Grand Prix met again to hear Mercedes’ demand for a “right of review”.
They determined that the on-board camera images passed the required tests of being “new”, “not available at the time of decision” and “relevant”, but declared that they were not “significant”.
The ruling said: “There is nothing in the pictures that changes the important facts. Even that does not show anything that was not taken into account by the commissioners at the time.”
Red Bull team manager Christian Horner said it was the “right move”.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said the verdict was “fully awaited” and the team had succeeded in achieving their goal of raising the issue as a talking point amid the intense title fight between the two. pilots. in the last three dishes of the season.
“It’s more a matter of principle and philosophy,” Wolff said. “If it continues like this, it means that passing from the outside is no longer possible because the inside completely controls the turn.
You can see that some pilots have expressed the same opinion.
“So it is to clarify the rules. “
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed suit on Thursday, saying: “If it is allowed outside overtaking will be very difficult.”
The drivers are due to discuss the issue during their briefing with race director Michael Masi later on Friday.
F1 rules state: “Maneuvers which may generalize other drivers, such as the deliberate piling of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are strictly prohibited.”
Horner added at a press conference with Wolff on Friday that Red Bull had questions about the legality of Mercedes’ rear wing, which they say flexes in a straight line and offers a speed advantage.
Lastly, He refused to rule out protesting the Mercedes in one of the remaining courses.
“We just want to make sure these cars are carefully monitored and fully compliant,” Horner said.
“If we think the car is not compliant we will protest. The straight line speeds that we have seen in Brazil, anyone can see them, it was not a normal situation.”
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“When you see marks on the fenders that have marked by flexing, what happened is very clear. You protest if you think a competitor is breaking the rules.”
Wolff denied that the wing was illegally, saying the wing had inspected by the FIA and that “there is nothing on it that Red Bull expects there to be”.
Horner challenged Wolff to explain how he was able to explain the wear marks on the rear wing end plate.
Wolff replied that any movement followed compliance allowed by the rules.
