Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has stressed the need for "action, not just words" as the fallout from last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix continues, arguing that there has been too much "freestyling with the rulebook" in recent times. Max Verstappen won the world title in controversial circumstances after Race Director Michael Masi restarted the encounter for one lap, having let the lapped cars between the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton unlap themselves. While the stewards threw out Mercedes' post-race protests, the FIA subsequently announced that there would be a "detailed analysis" into the closing stages of the race, with the team also dropping the threat of an appeal.
Wolff wants "action, not just words" after Abu Dhabi
With the investigation formally kicking off last week , as reported by RacingNews365.com , Wolff wants to see improvements in terms of the regulations and how they are set out before F1 returns. "I expect action, not just words," Wolff told German publication Auto Motor und Sport . "We can't freestyle like this with the rulebook in a sport that is supposed to be sport. There has to be clarity about the rules before the start of the new season so that every driver, every team and every fan knows what is allowed and what is not. "In the end, we provide entertainment, but no decision should break the rules for the sake of the show."
Will Hamilton and Mercedes recover from title defeat?
Wolff admitted that the disappointment surrounding events in Abu Dhabi is still felt throughout the team. "It runs very deep. Lewis, I and the whole team are disillusioned," Wolff added. "We love this sport because it's honest. The stopwatch never lies. But when we break the fundamental principle of fairness and the stopwatch is no longer relevant, then you doubt this sport. "About the fact that all the work, blood, sweat and tears can be taken away from you. It's going to take a long time to digest that. I don't think we'll ever get over it, especially Lewis as a driver. "We can at least try, together with the FIA, to do better in the future."
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