Verstappen cleared of overtaking Hamilton under F1 safety car

Mercedes have had the first of two protests thrown out by the FIA following a dramatic and controversial ending to the Abu Dhabi finale in which Verstappen beat Hamilton to the world championship title following a late safety car restart. 

As well as arguing that the safety car protocols had not been properly followed, Mercedes argued that Verstappen had breached the regulations by passing Hamilton before the safety car line as they prepared for the restart ahead of a one-lap sprint to the flag. 

Red Bull argued that Hamilton was not overtaken and that both cars were "on and off the throttle" and that there were "a million precedents" under safety cars where cars had pulled alongside then moved back behind the car that was in front. 

Mercedes sporting director Ron Meadows, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin and team legal counsel Paul Harris were representing Mercedes in the meeting, while Red Bull's sporting director Jonathan Wheatley was also in attendance. 

While the stewards did acknowlege that Verstappen briefly moved "slightly in front" of Hamilton at one stage, they ultimately considered the protest to be "admissible". 

"The Stewards consider that the protest is admissible," the stewards' concluded in their report. 

"Having considered the various statements made by the parties. The Stewards determine that although Car 33 did at one stage, for a very short period of time, move slightly in front of Car 44, at a time when both cars where accelerating and braking, it moved back behind Car 44 and it was not in front when the Safety Car period ended (i.e. at the line).

"Accordingly, the Protest is dismissed and the Protest Deposit is not refunded."