"Mercedes do have a case" - Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes handed protest boost by lawyer

Lewis Hamilton's bid for a record eighth drivers' world championship could still be alive, according to a lawyer who believes Mercedes has a valid case in questioning the stewards' decisions.

Speaking to pitpass.com, lawyer Duncan Bagshaw said Mercedes had every right to challenge the ruling of the stewards in a court of arbitration. Team principal Toto Wolff raced to meet Michael Masi moments after Hamilton crossed the line in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but Mercedes' protests were swiftly dismissed at the time.

Bagshaw is a partner at law firm Howard Kennedy, which specializes in international arbitration and litigation. When asked about Hamilton and Mercedes' chances in court, he said:

"Mercedes do have a case and I think it is quite likely they will take it to a court of arbitration because so much turns on the outcome of these races they may feel they really have no choice."

Bagshaw went on to add:

"This decision was by the race director himself applying a rule under the regulations which is, I would say, very clear and quite explicit about what has to happen in this situation."

Bagshaw went on to stress that no one wanted the race to end in an anti-climatic fashion behind the Safety Car. However, he also emphasized the rules to allow lapped cars to unlap themselves and catch the Safety Car train for a fair and proper restart.

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Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' protest could be aided by the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix precedent

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' protest against stewards' decisions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix could be boosted by something Michael Masi did last year.

During the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany, Lando Norris' engine failure resulted in a lengthy Safety Car period. Hamilton and Max Verstappen were the frontrunners that day and the pair were not happy to be stuck behind the Safety Car.

However, Michael Masi chose to let all lapped cars unlap themselves and catch the Safety Car queue, saying:

“There’s a requirement in the sporting regulations to wave all the lapped cars past.”

In Abu Dhabi, Masi contradicted himself when he chose to let only five lapped cars sandwiched between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen unlap themselves to set up a final lap showdown.

Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team's quest for answers may not be over just yet.