Lewis Hamilton orders Mercedes to axe protest into Max Verstappen’s ‘dangerous’ and ‘erratic’ driving
LEWIS HAMILTON ordered Mercedes to drop a protest into Max Verstappen’s “dangerous” and “erratic” driving even though it could have bumped him up to second.
But it could have been a different story had 19-year-old Belgian Verstappen not allegedly forced Hamilton to take “evasive action” as he attempted to overtake.
Hamilton tried to pass Verstappen on a chicane in the penultimate lap but the Red Bull driver moved to block off the route.
Mercedes then lodged a protest against Verstappen’s driving.
A successful hearing could have seen the teenager handed an elapsed time penalty, moving Hamilton up to second.
But Hamilton, travelling on Niki Lauda’s provate jet with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, said he had told his team to axe the appeal.
The first tweet said: “There is no protest from either myself or Mercedes. One idiot said we have but it’s not true. Max drove well, end of. We move on.”
Max Verstappen leads Lewis Hamilton during the Japanese Grand PrixGetty Images
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However, that message was quickly deleted and another sent in its place made no mention of the unknown "idiot".
The second tweet read: "There is no protest from myself. Just heard the team had but I told them it is not what we do. We are champions, we move on. End of!"
The FIA have confirmed Mercedes withdrew their protest - but the manufacturers insisted it was the team's decision to withdraw.
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