Mercedes chief Toto Wolff sends stern warning to Red Bull after placing faith in the FIA

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he hopes there will be “enough repercussions” from Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to ensure a clean title decider in Abu Dhabi after Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen clashed controversially in Jeddah. Verstappen was hit with two penalties on Sunday after the FIA had ordered the Red Bull driver to give Hamilton back the lead after gaining an advantage after the first red-flagged restart.

The FIA race director Michael Masi gave Red Bull an option during the second suspended period, to either drop behind Hamilton or Verstappen would be investigated for overtaking the Briton off-track prior to the race being suspended.

But the Dutchman made a similar move into Turn 1 and was handed a five-second time penalty for gaining an advantage by going off track at the restart.

The FIA demanded the Red Bull driver give back the place, but on lap 37 the two collided when Verstappen slowed to give Hamilton back the position, which the stewards deemed “erratic” handing the Dutchman a 10-second time penalty after the race for the incident.

Hamilton called the move “sudden” but regained the lead and went on to win the race in Jeddah and level the points with Verstappen heading into the title decider in Abu Dhabi.

But Wolff admits he was left with a bitter taste in his mouth after the race, which he described as “spectacular” but “not a good race.”

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“I would hope that this race has enough repercussions that everybody is going to learn from it and adapt for the final race,” said Wolff.

“I think that similar driving, if it were to be deemed by the stewards as being over the line, would also be penalised in Abu Dhabi.

“And that could end up in a messy situation for everybody and I don’t think the championship has deserved a result that was influenced by a collision.

“So I very much trust in the self-regulating system.”

The Red Bull boss however hit out at the “over-regulated” way he believes the FIA are running Formula One.

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The Briton fumed: “We’re over-regulated and there are rules about 10 car lengths, but a formation isn’t a formation lap if it’s a restart.

“It feels that there’s too many rules to a certain degree.

“It felt like today the sport missed Charlie Whiting, I’m sorry to say, but the experience that he had.

“It’s obviously frustrating. But it’s difficult for Michael and the stewards, particularly at this type of venue, this type of circuit, the amount of debris, and types of corner.

“But it’s the same for everyone.”

With the drivers tied on points, the championship goes down to the wire on Sunday with the title to be decided in the desert.

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