Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff believes it was a mistake to broadcast conversations between key F1 personnel and race control this season.

The 2021 season ended in a shroud of controversy after race director Michael Masi's hotly contested usage of the safety car in the final laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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A crash from Williams driver Nicholas Latifi with just a handful of laps remaining brought out the safety car, with Mercedes champion Lewis Hamilton leading from Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Hamilton was unable to put for fresh rubber whereas Verstappen was able to pit and not lose track position - however when he emerged from the pits, five lapped cars were running between he and Hamilton.

Initially, the decision from race control was that the race would restart and the lapped traffic would not be allowed to overtake the safety car.

However that decision was changed at the last minute, with only the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen allowed past before the safety car was called into the pits on the penultimate lap.

This set up a thrilling last lap battle, which Verstappen was able to win thanks to having a significant tyre advantage.

Throughout the safety car period, both Red Bull and Mercedes were on radio to Masi, each urging the race director to take a course of action which would favour their team.

The season final was the last of many times F1 fans were treated to the often tense dynamic between the teams and race director, with Wolff admitting in the aftermath of Mercedes' decision to drop their appeal against the result that those communications may have crossed a line.

“There is so much going on on the intercom that giving fans a little bit of an overview of all the little dramas that happen, like is the car breaking down, are we having some kind of strategy discussions, was meant well," Wolff said

“But I think we overshot.

“I need to take myself by the nose, and (Red Bull boss Christian Horner). We were given the opportunity to talk to the race director directly, and because we fight so fiercely for the interests of our teams all of us overstepped.

“It certainly was part of the failures this year that under pressure from the team principals, the race director’s life wasn’t made easier, certainly.”

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The Austrian, speaking to reporters for the first time since Sunday's race in Abu Dhabi and after Mercedes had dropped their plans to appeal, said he and Hamilton would not be attending the governing FIA's gala awards in Paris.

Attendance is mandatory for the top three drivers, with Mercedes also winning the constructors' title for an eighth year in a row.

"It's going to take a long time for us to digest what has happened on Sunday. I don't think we will ever come over it, that's not possible," said Wolff.

"And certainly not him (Hamilton) as a driver. I would very much hope the two of us and the rest of the team can work through the events.

"But he will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on Sunday."

Asked whether Hamilton, who turns 37 in January, would be back next year, Wolff indicated that was not a certainty.

"I would very much hope Lewis continues racing because he is the greatest driver of all-time," he said.

"As a racer, his heart will say, 'I need to continue' because he's at the peak of his game.

"But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday. He is a man with clear values."

Wolff said Mercedes technical head James Allison would be in Paris to collect the trophy.

"I won't be there because of my loyalty to Lewis and because of my own personal integrity," he said.

Mercedes said they had withdrawn their appeal following "constructive dialogue" with governing body FIA with regard to establishing clarity for future scenarios.

With AAP

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