Mercedes saw its petition to get t🅰he Brazilian Grand Prix incident involving F1 title rivals Verstappen and L🌜ewis Hamilton reopened rejected by the stewards on Friday following a lengthy deliberation process. 

As the verdict dropped, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stressed his team’s motivation behind the request was about cle♌aring up what is and is not acceptable driving standards, rather than trying to get Verstappen retrospective๊ly punished. 

“We wanted to trigger discussion around it because probably it will be a theme in the next few races and I think that objective is achieved,” Wolff said🥂 during the FIA press conference on Friday. “We didn't really think it would go any further.”

Verstappen and Hamiltౠon both left the track at Turn 4 when the seven-time world champion attempted to overtake his꧑ rival around the outside on lap 48. 

The Red Bull driver’s intention behind hജis controversial defensive manoeuvre was clear💃, according to Wolff. 

“What you♏’ve seen on the video is clear to everybody who has ever raced a car, obviously far away from any of the levels that any driver in Formula 1 can do,” he explained. 

“That corner was not meant to be the corner where he stayed on track. He didn’t [mean] to stay on track. So that’s ಞmy personal interpretation. 

"But you know🌱, I shouldn’t be judging on anybody’s driver’s driving 💝because if I could, I should sit in the car and not sit on a chair and comment.”

Along with track limits, the matter is expected to be one of the main topics of d✨iscussion for Masi to address in Friday’s driver briefing ahead of the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. 

Prior to the stewards denying Mercedes a right of review, McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl🌱 had warneꦏd the final outcome will change how drivers race in certain situations. 

Lando Norris was p🥃unished for forcing Sergio Perez off-track earlier this year at the Red Bull Ring, despite being ahead an𝓡d holding onto the racing line. 

“Looking at the case compared withꩵ La🉐ndo’s case definitely we have some questions,” Seidl said.

“Lando goꩲt a penalty in Austria for something which from our point of view was debatable.

“You can definitely argue what hap💦pened there was Lando’s corner, different to what we have seen in Brazil, and therefore we are very interested on wha🔯t they’re deciding a ruling on.

“The outcome of today’s investigation is a different story or different process, but more understanding what Michael will brief to the drivers tonight in the drivers’ briefing on how they see things moving forwa🍌rd.

"I think whatever the outcome is, it will definitely change the approach of the drive𒉰rs to certain ꦕmanoeuvres on track. That's why it's interesting to clarify."

On Thursday, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc said he would adjust h൩is approach to battling other car🐈s if Verstappen’s move went unpunished. 

🎉"Honestly, I really don't mind [what the outcome is],” the Monegasque said. "But whatever is allowed, then I just want it to be clear as a driver. That's the only thing that matters to me.

"I♈f this is allꦗowed, then overtaking around the outside is going to be very difficult.

"But ye💟ah, whatever the situation, the decision is, I'll jᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚust adapt my driving to it; so I'm fine with both."

Meanwhile, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gaslyꦗ stresse💞d the importance of drivers having clear rules laid out following some “quite inconsistent” decisions in recent events. 

“It’s important to really define what the limit is and what the rule is,” Gasly told Sky Sports. “Because it’s been, I must say, quite inconsistent over the lasಌt few races with different sort of penalties for similar incidents.”