Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas yesterday won the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, ahead of
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
Vettel faces “very severe” consequences if he is the cause of any further major racing offenses, the president of Formula One’s ruling body the FIA warned on Saturday.
Photo: EPA
Jean Todt, who had been called upon by Lewis Hamilton to explain why Vettel was not punished for his “road rage” attack on his Mercedes car during last month’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, spoke to reporters in Austrian.
Last year, Vettel swore over team radio at the FIA race director Charlie Whiting at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Asked about Vettel’s repeated failures to control his temper, Todt said: “Mexico was a completely different offense” to Baku.
“We have seen that Sebastian is not always able to control himself as much as he should. I used to run drivers and they are in a very tense situation. I think you must try to interpret the situation well,” Todt said.
“Sebastian has had some very strong warnings. It won’t happen again and, if it would, then the consequences would be very severe,” he added.
Using his Ferrari, Vettel bashed wheels with Hamilton behind the safety car during the Baku race after feeling the Briton had “brake-tested” him, a claim that was subsequently quashed by data, the stewards and both teams.
Vettel later apologized.
He was given a 10 second stop-go penalty during the race and, after being summoned to Paris for a further hearing about the matter, asked only to carry out “educational activities” on behalf of the FIA.
Many drivers and former drivers, including Mercedes boss Niki Lauda and Hamilton, said the lack of action by the ruling body had virtually given carte blanche to drivers who choose to copy Vettel’s actions.
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