The 2021 constructors’ champions lodged its intention to appeal the FIA’s decision to rejectღ its𒊎 protest over the final race result in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

It initially lodged two separate protests fo﷽llowing the grand prix which saw Max Verstappen overtake Lewis Hamilton on the final lap, benefitting from a controversial Safety Car period.

One was relatiꦦng to Verstappen overtaking Hamilton under the Safety Car🍌, while the second was how the restart played out and the decisions that were made by the FIA.

The FIA rejecꦕted both protests, confirming Verstappen as t꧙he 2021 F1 drivers’ champion.

However, Mercedes soon confirmed that it had “lodged our intention to appeal Document 58 / the decision of the stewards to dismiss the team’s꧂ protest.”

The point of cont🦹roversy came when race director Michael Masi only allowed a handful of lapped cars to unlap themsel🍌ves. 

Verstappen had four cars bet🃏ween him and Hamilton, meaning had Masi not allowed the four cars between them to overtake, the Mercedes drive🌳r would have likely won the title.

The point of contention is that Masi's decision to only allow a handful of cars to unlap themselves contravenes the sporting regulations, leadin🍃g to Mercedes’ uproar.

Ahead of the FIA’s end of year prize gala on Thursday, Mercede⛎s released a statement confirm🃏ing that it would be withdrawing its appeal.

“We left Abu Dhabi in disbelief of what we had just witnessed, the statement read. “Of cour♈se, it's part of the game to lose a race, but it's something different when you lose faith in racing.

“Together with Lewis, we h🎶ave deliberated carefully over how to respond to th🤡e events at the Formula 1 season finale. We have always been guided by our love of this sport and we believe that every competition should be won on merit. In the race on Sunday many felt, us included, that the way things unfolded was not right.

“The reason we protested the race result on Sunday was bﷺecause the Safety Car regulations were applied in a new way that affected the racꦬe result, after Lewis had been in a commanding lead and on course to win the World Championship.

“We appealed in the interest of sporting fairnes💝s, and we have since been in a constructive dialogue wit🎃h the FIA and Formula 1 to create clarity for the future, so that all competitors know the rules under which they are racing, and how they will be enforced. 

“Thus, we welcome the decision by the FIA to install a commission to thoroughly analyse what happened in Abu Dhabi and to improve the robustness of💧 rules, governance and decision making in Formula 1. We also welcome that they have invited the teams and drivers to take part.

“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team will actively work withꦰ this commission to build a better Formula 1 - for every team and ever🔯y fan who loves this sport as much as we do. We will hold the FIA accountable for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal.”

Mercedes later congratulated Verstappen on his maiden F1 title, while it praised Hamilton for his “faul🌸tless” display.