Toto Wolffs huge clash with FIA chief: Childish game

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen analysed by Coulthard

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Toto Wolff, Team Principal of Mercedes, was left furious on Sunday after Lewis Hamilton was denied an eighth world title in controversial fashion. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was able to capitalise on a late safety car to put on fresh soft tyres and chase down his rival during the last lap of the race to secure his first world championship. But race director Michael Masi has been criticised by Mercedes for appearing to disregard certain rules – the team protested the race result, but their case was dismissed by the FIA. The team is expected to abort their appeal of Verstappen’s dramatic victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as they “don’t want to look like bad losers”, according to Sky’s David Croft.

Formula 1 teams regularly clash with the FIA, and Wolff had a run-in with the organisation’s president, Jean Todt, in 2018.

At the time, the FIA decided to impose halo cockpit protection systems for the cars, but the rule was criticised for aesthetic reasons, and because some felt it was in contradiction of the spirit of an open-cockpit series.

The halo is a ring-shaped structure that sits above the drivers’ heads, offering protection.

Wolff said he would remove it with a chainsaw if given the opportunity but Todt rejected his stance.

Todt said: “I will not react to whatever has been said. It is simply a childish game.

“It’s very inappropriate, whoever you are, to publicly deny something which is introduced. For me, constructive criticism is always good because it makes you move forwards.”

Todt stressed that it had been a driver-led initiative adding: “In December 2015, I got a letter signed by [the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association directors] Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz, urging us to decide for head protection.

“Last year we had 42 fatalities in motor racing. It’s unacceptable. It’s a human attitude to be reluctant on change. But once we know that the change, after a lot of testing, is good, we should implement it.”

Hamilton was also initially opposed to the halo before unenthusiastically supporting it.

He appeared to be much more in favour of the halo after a big crash at Monza in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, however.

As Hamilton and Verstappen’s title race continued to intensify, the Dutchman went for an ambitious overtake at the first chicane of the track.

The Red Bull car bounced off the curb and onto the top of Hamilton’s Mercedes, with a tyre narrowly missing the Briton’s head.

Following the crash, Verstappen got out of his car and walked straight off track, muttering: “That’s what happens when you don’t leave enough space.”

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Hamilton said after the race: “I feel very, very fortunate today. Thank God for the halo.

“That ultimately saved me. And saved my neck. I don’t think I have ever been hit on the head by a car before and it is quite a shock for me.

“If you see the image, my head is quite far forward.

“I have been racing for a long, long time and I am so so grateful I am still here and feel incredibly blessed that someone was watching over me today.”

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