I agree it's most unsatisfactory that the driver who was leading by more than 10 seconds at the time of Latifi's crash should be robbed of the win in this way. But Masi was in a bind: if he'd allowed all lapped cars to unlap themselves as per the customary procedure, it would have required the safety car to stay out for another lap, and it wouldn't have looked good if the defining race of the championship were won under the safety car. However, allowing only the cars between Verstappen and Hamilton to unlap themselves was a blatant fudge which could only deliver the race to Verstappen. Horner and co were doubtless in Masi's ear, but I think at this stage Mercedes just have to accept the result. To reverse it would expose F1 to even greater ridicule.
Robert Fish ● 1747d