F1 champion calls for stewards to REVOKE controversial penalty at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

F1 champion calls for stewards to REVOKE controversial penalty at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Nico Hulkenberg was investigated for an alleged infringement during Abu Dhabi qualifying

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 8 December 2024 10:55 Updated: 11:29

Former Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg has urged race stewards to ignore a controversial incident at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

F1 heads to Yas Island this weekend for the last race of the season, with a number of drivers taking part in their final race for their current teams.

F1 HEADLINES: FIA announce last-minute Hamilton change as investigation launched at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton, for example, will end his 12-season spell at Mercedes before heading off to Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz therefore taking part in his last race for Ferrari, while Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Kevin Magnussen will leave the sport altogether.

Another driver who is set to leave their team is Nico Hulkenberg, who will ditch Haas for Sauber in 2025, sitting alongside F2 star Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the team's transition to Audi.

Nico Hulkenberg will join Sauber/Audi in 2025

Nico Hulkenberg was placed under investigation in Abu Dhabi

Hulkenberg hit with Abu Dhabi GP penalty

As has happened on a number of occasions in 2024, Hulkenberg put in a stellar performance during qualifying at the Abu Dhabi GP, putting his car up on the second row in fourth, but that result later came under threat.

It was announced after the session that the German would be investigated for overtaking on the pit exit road, in a potential breach of Article 12.2.1 i) of the F1 sporting regulations, and he was eventually given a three-place grid drop.

While fans waited to see whether or not Hulkenberg's brilliant P4 position would be taken away from him as he was called to see the stewards, 2016 F1 champion Rosberg suggested that the stewards should let him off, and turn a blind eye to the alleged infringement.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 broadcast, Rosberg said: "We ought to big this up a bit more. That was genius, to be in a Haas and outqualify Max Verstappen in the Red Bull, who had two attempts!

"This was genius, he’s been producing this so many times this year but this was his best.

"So, so special with that car - this is the moment where I thought 'Come on stewards, just please close an eye for today and let him stay there!'"

Sadly, for both Rosberg and Hulkenberg, the stewards did not agree and the Haas star was given a three-place grid penalty.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Nico Rosberg