F1 expert weighs in on Hamilton-Verstappen incident after Mercedes ask for review

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team have requested the Right of Review under Article 14.1.1 of the International Sporting Code of the Turn 4 incident between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Former F1 driver Martin Brundle feels the outcome will be unchanged as the incident is too close to call even with the new onboard footage.

A charging Hamilton, who had made his way from P10 on the grid to P2 in 19 laps, quickly closed in on Verstappen, who had led the race from the opening lap. On Lap 48, the Mercedes driver, who was much faster on the straights, attempted a move on the outside, which the Red Bull Racing driver defended albeit a bit aggressively that saw both drivers run off track.

The Mercedes team felt their driver had been deliberately pushed off track and were expecting the FIA race stewards to hand Verstappen a time penalty. However, with the footage they had at the time, the stewards decided that no investigation was necessary. FIA race director Michael Masi stated that the "let them race" policy was applied after reviewing the incident.

The reigning champions were livid with the stewards' decision, with Toto Wolff suggesting that it was "laughable" that the matter was simply swept under the rug by both Red Bull and the stewards. On Tuesday, new onboard footage from Verstappen's car was released, which the stewards did not possess during the race, and this has prompted Mercedes to request a review.

However, former F1 racer and current Sky Sports commentator Brundle feels that the incident could have gone down either way with the stewards. He feels that it is very unlikely that the stewards will change the decision, with Red Bull expected to argue why a five-second penalty should not demote Verstappen to third behind Valtteri Bottas.

"On viewing the onboard footage, it confirms that Max braked very late and was slow and limited with his turn-in point, but at no point did he open the steering wheel towards Lewis. It was totally on the limit and could have easily gone either way with the stewards," Brundle said, as quoted on the Daily Express.

"Mercedes may still ask for a stewards' review, but those claims rarely get a change of decision. In any event, Red Bull will say they cruised at the end and so any five-second penalty putting them behind Bottas would be unfair, Max would have just driven faster, to which Mercedes will say so would have Valtteri," he added.