​​​​​​​Max Verstappen and Christian Horner hold 'numerous discussions' over Hamilton crash fears​​​​​​​

Dear Kimi
We will leave you alone now

The most bizarre thing about the final laps were the officiating decisions from F1. Officials were adamant that the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen would not be allowed to clear themselves on the restart. That would have provided a buffer for Hamilton to likely win a record-breaking eighth championship and cement his status as the best Formula 1 driver of all-time.

But after saying one thing, officials changed their minds and said that the handful of cars between Verstappen and Hamilton could pass Hamilton and get their laps back right before the race restarted. However, not every lapped car was allowed to pass. Only those that were between Hamilton and Verstappen got to get their laps back. And the decision to only let some lapped cars pass but not all appears to be a direct breach of F1 rules.

F1 rules do not guarantee that lapped drivers can get their laps back during a safety car, but it's an odd decision to allow some drivers to get their laps back and not others.

Within 30 minutes of the race ending, Mercedes launched two protests. One was “against the classification established at the end of the Competition, alleged breach of Article 48.12 of the 2021 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.”

That rule reads: “If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message ‘LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE’ has been sent to all Competitors via the official messaging system, any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car. “This will only apply to cars that were lapped at the time they crossed the Line at the end of the lap during which they crossed the first Safety Car line for the second time after the Safety Car was deployed. “Having overtaken the cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car these cars should then proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking, and make every effort to take up position at the back of the line of cars behind the Safety Car. “Whilst they are overtaking, and in order to ensure this may be carried out safely, the cars on the lead lap must always stay on the racing line unless deviating from it is unavoidable. “Unless the clerk of the course considers the presence of the Safety Car is still necessary, once the last lapped car has passed the leader the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap. “If the clerk of the course considers track conditions are unsuitable for overtaking the message ‘OVERTAKING WILL NOT BE PERMITTED’ will be sent to all Competitors via the official messaging system.”

The second protest is regarding alleged breach of Article 48.8 of the Sporting Regulations. This rule says “no driver may overtake another car on the track, including the Safety Car, until he passes the Line (see Article 5.3) for the first time after the safety car has returned to the pits.”

“He’ll be getting a lifetime supply of Red Bull for sure,” Horner said to Channel 4 when asked about Latifi.

“We needed something from the racing gods in the last 10 laps,” he added on Sky Sports.

“Thank you Nicholas Latifi for that safety car. I have to say with the stewards…they did great to get the race going again.

“We were screaming at him (Masi) ‘let them race’. It has been an insane competition and for Max to win the world championship – it is not just about here.

“I have to say all credit to Lewis, he has been a phenomenal opponent all year, he is a great champion and that is what makes it even more valid to win this.”