Abu Dhabi "mess" report "nothing new we didn't know" - Martin Brundle

Brundle, Bahrain, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Formula 1

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Abu Dhabi "mess" report "nothing new we didn't know" - Brundle

The FIA has finally released its report into the 2021 season finale

Ewan Gale

Saturday 19 March 2022 15:45 Updated: 15:53

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Martin Brundle has labelled the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix a "mess" and believes "there is nothing new we didn't already know" in the FIA's report into the controversy.

The governing body released its "extensive" findings from the inquiry into the 2021 championship-decider ahead of qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The report cites "human error" in the process surrounding allowing lapped cars to unlap themselves, whilst the communication between teams and the FIA and the lack of support for then-race director Michael Masi were also given as causes.

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The decision to bring the safety car in at the end of the lap when backmarkers were released was explained in previous meetings between F1 shareholders, teams, managers and drivers in which a desire to finish under green-flag conditions was conveyed.

Asked why it took so long for the report to be released, Brundle told Sky Sports F1: "I guess they had to get it sanctioned by the World Motor Sport Council that met here but it feels like something that should have been put to bed in January, doesn't it?

"There is nothing new in there that we didn't already know for those of us that were there through the season, through the last few minutes of that race.

"I think what happened was almost inevitable in the end when analysing it. There are a lot of levels to that.

"The other thing that is in there are the list of three groups of people that asked for races to be finished, where safe or where possible, not finish under the safety car."

Insisting that "mistakes were made under pressure", the former F1 driver-turned-pundit added: "It was a mess and there is no remedy - and we said this minutes afterwards - there is no remedy to untangle that race.

"So nothing has changed since then apart from some processes that will be put in to make sure it won't happen again."