Peter Windsor Explains Why Mercedes Couldn't Pit Hamilton

© LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Former F1 personality Peter Windsor says Lewis Hamilton didn’t get a tyre change at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix because “it was impossible for Mercedes to anticipate what would happen”.

Some F1 observers (especially fans of Max Verstappen) keep insisting that Lewis Hamilton lost the 2021 title because Mercedes decided not to go for a tyre change when the Safety Car came out in the final laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which left him vulnerable to an attack from Max Verstappen, who pitted for fresh soft tyres.

What they fail to realize (or choose not to) is that the reason why Mercedes left Lewis on the track is because had the rules and protocols been followed by race director Michael Masi, the race would have ended under the Safety Car. Therefore, pitting Hamilton would have allowed Verstappen to stay out and ultimately win the race.

However, the FIA did not follow its own rules, leading to a situation that Mercedes could not have anticipated. In his YouTube analysis Peter Windsor explained this very fact.

“Had they dived in for new tires, they probably would have won the world title,” Windsor said, assuming that the FIA would still break the rules and pull the Safety Car in before the last lap of the race.

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“The reason Mercedes didn’t do that is because the regulations suggested it wasn’t worth it. They didn’t think it was possible that the Safety Car would still drive in and leave one lap to move.

“What was the point then? Based on that, Mercedes made the decision to leave Hamilton out.

“Track position was a point. Had Hamilton ducked in, Verstappen would have stayed outside. If the race had ended under the Safety Car, Verstappen would have won it.”

Windsor then again reiterates that it was impossible for Mercedes to anticipate that the FIA would break the rules and pull the Safety Car in.

“It is still a difficult situation to analyze. Either way you look at it, it was impossible for Mercedes to anticipate what would happen,” the Briton concluded.

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