Following the fallout between the Red Bull drivers over the team order controversy that dominated last month’s Malaysian Grand Prix, the defending world champion has said he would ignore the instructions from the team to hold station again.
Sebastian Vettel attracted widespread criticisms from the media and fans, while team-mate Mark Webber was left feeling outrage when the German overtook the Australian to win at Sepang.
The pair had been ordered to maintain track position with Webber ahead after the final pitstops, but Vettel mounted an aggressive attack and snatched the race victory.
He later apologised to the team and to Webber, but when faced towards the media again three weeks after the event, Vettel was asked if he would repeat his actions.
The triple world champion said: “I’m not sure I can give a proper answer because in the moment it might be different but I would probably do the same.”
Vettel argued that he had misunderstood the team’s message, yet admitted that even if he had comprehended, his actions would likely not have changed.
“Had I understood the message and had I thought about it, reflected on it, thought what the team wanted to do, to leave Mark in first place and me finishing second… I think I would have thought about it and I would probably have done the same thing.
“He didn’t deserve it.
“There is quite a conflict, because on the one hand I am the kind of guy who respects team decisions and the other hand, probably Mark is not the one who deserved it at the time.”
Sebastian added his move was “indirectly” a form of payback for what he said was a lack of past support from Webber.
“I never had support from his side. I have a lot of support from the team, and the team has supported both of us the same way.
“But in terms of the relationship to Mark, I respect him a lot as a racing driver, but I think there was more than one occasion in the past where he could have helped the team and he didn’t.”
Despite not regretting his actions, Vettel said he stood by his decision to apologise to Red Bull.
“I was racing, and as a racing driver I was solely focused on winning the race and I got a call on the radio, which I heard, but I didn’t understand at the time,” he said.
“I should have understood, that is why I apologised to the team – because in my action I put myself above the team. Whether you believe me or not is up to you.”
But he shrugged off suggestions that he should have received a formal punishment from Red Bull.
“Maybe it is a little bit of a dreamland that you all live in, but what do you expect to happen?” said Vettel. “Make a suggestion!”
Reading into this, Sebastian Vettel has revealed his darker, more ruthless side to his character. After charming his way with countless press interviews and winning worldwide fans thanks to his supreme driving talent and world title victories, his action at Sepang shows how competitive and determined he wants to be in order to become successful.
In many ways, he is just like his childhood idol, the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. Both pushed the absolute limit in terms of achieving success – by whatever means necessary – and yet the public perception will change from being a nice and popular driver to a damn right ruthless one.
It’s going to be fascinating whether team boss Christian Horner can maintain control over his two ultra competitive race drivers, as it seems the pair no longer trust each other… What is interesting is that Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz is not a fan of team orders meaning the pair will need to settle the score by racing one another. The ideal situation for fans and media alike.
News reports on Sebastian Vettel ignoring team orders again.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106631
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22106490
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22109935
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/04/11/red-bull-team-orders-vettel-admits-defy/
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12475/8630735/Sebastian-Vettel-says-he-would-ignore-team-orders-again-if-it-meant-winning-a-race
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12475/8633038/Christian-Horner-says-Sebastian-Vettel-Mark-Webber-rivalry-is-healthy-for-Red-Bull
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/04/11/massa-red-bulls-team-orders-intelligent/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22105955
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/apr/11/sebastian-vettel-would-defy-team-orders-again
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/apr/11/mark-webber-red-bull-future
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/9986725/I-would-disobey-Red-Bull-team-orders-again-says-Sebastian-Vettel-as-fall-out-with-Mark-Webber-intensifies.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/9988334/John-Watson-hits-out-at-Red-Bulls-Sebastian-Vettel-for-saying-he-would-probably-disobey-team-orders-again.html
Mark Webber says he is eager to move on from the Red Bull ‘multi 21’ team orders controversy, and that it will not cloud decisions about his Formula 1 future.
He dismissed any suggestion he was thinking of quitting F1 now, and made it clear he would stick to his traditional timetable of discussing a new Red Bull contract over the summer.
“Definitely I am keen to finish the season,” he said. “A lot of people were questioning it, but it was not something on my mind.
“I am keen to race this year, and put together a strong campaign. Year by year, I come to the summer and I will speak to Dietrich [Mateschitz] and we will go from there.
“I have never made decisions in my career at this point of the season and I don’t see why I should make any decisions now about the future.”
Despite the huge media interest in the row between Webber and Sebastian Vettel in Malaysia three weeks ago, the Australian says that he is not wasting time worrying about the implications of what happened.
“Yeah I am fine,” said Webber, sporting a new extreme haircut after a recent holiday in Australia.
“I was always going to Australia after that race, so people put two and three together. The break was good for all of us. It was good to get a bit of relaxation after winter testing and the first few races.
“But I am now looking forward to getting back in the car and getting on with the racing.”
Webber also reckoned that it was no surprise his emotions ran high in Malaysia, where he confronted Vettel prior to the podium ceremony.
“I think it is normal for a driver to have a lot of emotions,” he said.
“You want to keep the emotions down, as it is part of the job, like when you are leading Monte Carlo, but there are different emotions that go up and down.”
Source: Autosport.com
Sebastian Vettel’s attitude has surprised racing rival Jenson Button over his ruthless determination to succeed. Autosport.com has the story.
Jenson Button has expressed surprise at Sebastian Vettel’s declaration that he would think nothing of disregarding team orders again.
McLaren driver Button believes Red Bull was unwise to ask Mark Webber and Vettel to hold station as early as round two of the 2013 Formula 1 season.
But the 2009 world champion admitted Vettel’s assertion that he would “probably do the same again” if he felt Webber did not deserve the win had showed an unexpected side of Vettel’s character.
“Lots of people have won world championships without being like that,” said Button.
“I’m surprised he said that, personally.
“He’s such a talented driver and he seems like a driver that the team love. And they should, he’s very successful.
“And he seems like an easygoing character. It’s surprising for him to say that.”
Button reckons that if Red Bull had been clear about its intentions pre-race, Vettel had no grounds for complaint.
“Obviously he’s done it once. He knew what he was doing,” said Button.
“We all want to win, but if you’re told to hold station and you know that’s the rule before the race, kick off about it before the race.
“Don’t just do the opposite in the race. I think that’s the biggest issue.
“If we had that issue here, first of all I wouldn’t have agreed before we went racing. In the race, you have to do as you’re supposed to do.”
He underlined that he did not approve of team orders and felt they had been unnecessary in Malaysia, but that Vettel should still have complied if Webber was cruising.
“I do not like team orders and I’ve said that before,” Button said. “But they’re legal and we’re allowed to have team orders.
“I would understand if I couldn’t win the championship anymore and the team said to me ‘if you’re leading this race and your team-mate’s second and he can win the championship, let him go past’.
“I wouldn’t even need to be told that, I’d do it myself. It’s the right thing to do.
“I think when one or both drivers are told to turn the engine down, it’s for a reason – to save the engine or because they have a fuel strategy.
“If one guy does it and the other guy doesn’t, it’s unfair, they’re going to push each other, and they might both run out of fuel.
“That’s the way the system is at the moment with fuel and tyre saving.
“There’s definitely the possibility of making a mistake [with an instruction], and if that was the case with Sebastian, it’s fair enough. Maybe that was the case.
“But it just doesn’t sound that way from what he was saying afterwards.”
As for Fernando Alonso, the Ferrari driver commented that he would have followed team orders given the same situation as Sebastian Vettel. Autosport.com has the details.
Fernando Alonso claims he would have respected a team order to hold position had he been in Sebastian Vettel’s situation in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested in an interview with Sky Sports News that “if Fernando Alonso or Lewis [Hamilton] were in that position, they would do the same” as Vettel did when he disregarded team instructions and overtook Mark Webber to win at Sepang.
Vettel: I would probably do it again
But Alonso believes that the driver should be required to do what he is told by his team.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been in that position, I guess I would hold position,” said Alonso.
“At the end of the day, your team is paying you and you have to do more or less what they ask you.
“You are a journalist, so you don’t go to your newspaper and start painting the walls because you are not a painter and a goalkeeper can’t play as a forward.
“We all have our duties and I guess you have to respect them all the time.”
Felipe Massa, who infamously had to hand victory to Alonso in the 2010 German Grand Prix, believes that team orders are acceptable provided the circumstances are right, even though what happened in Malaysia has led to criticism of such measures.
The Brazilian has had to cede position to Alonso several times, as well as handing Kimi Raikkonen the victory required to win the world championship in Brazil 2007 by deliberately running slowly on his in- and out-laps during the second pitstops.
But Massa has also benefited from team orders, with Raikkonen handing him second place in the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix.
“I’m not against team orders if it is an intelligent team order, at the right moment,” said Massa.
“I have helped many drivers, even Kimi to help him win the championship and Fernando in important races last year when he was fighting for the championship.
“When it is an intelligent time for a team order, I have no problem, but sometimes it is not really so intelligent so I don’t like it.”
Oh boy, I have so much to say, but don’t really have the skills to put them in writing. So I’ll be as quick and concise as I can with much wine consumed. Oh my thoughts here come after his interview saying Mark didn’t deserve the win and basically “I’m a fucking cock, I don’t care and Red Bull is MY team”
Now while I’ve admired Red Bull for many years, since Seb joined them my feelings for them have slowly but surely nose dived.
All was well(ish) till Turkey 2010. Then Vettel got all big headed and ruined things. Every since his “dink” to the right that caused them to crash, the treatment of Webber was all to clear. Red Bull don’t like Webber. Of course, them re-signed him so make that of what you will, but I wholly agree that Red Bull is Seb’s team, just like McLaren was Lewis’s team.
I’d always suspected Red Bull favored Seb, but when Seb took out Webber in that race and we all saw the pat on backs Seb got, it was clear they were sucking the shlong of Vettel. It made me sick that the driver that caused the crash and the near definite result of a 1-2 finish was getting the full hugs and kisses of his team. Spew.
Anyway, fast forward to now.
I know some racing drivers are born to race and win. Seb sure is one. However, at this stage of the season, your desire means shit to the team. All they care about is result and they “shouldn’t give a crap who gets them points”.
Now of course, Seb is a three times champion and of course at some point, there needs to be a No.1 and No.2 driver. But now shouldn’t be the time. First and foremost a driver drives for the team. Sure he can demand to get upgrades first and all that kind of stuff. If the team says yes the so be it. That’s fine and I don’t have a problem with that.
However, during a race, when your boss says do this, you fucking do it. Seb claimed to not to know what Multi-21 meant. But as proven, previous radio chat from other races, proved he knew exactly what they meant.
Knowing his position in the team, he chose to not give shit and played by his own rules. Of course this is not the first time this has happened and it wont be the last. Part of the huge publicity this event has gotten is due to the fact that we’ve not seen this behaviour since Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. The difference tho is that Sebastian is not a patch of either of those drivers and cannot justify his behaviour (at this stage in the championship). Sorry but he just is not that great a driver to be able to do as he pleases. Michael Schumacher has done far worse to be fair, but nothing he did was justified either.
You can argue about team orders, and all that kind of stuff all day long and you can argue about Seb’s actions being wrong. However, I’m convinced he did what he did was due to the fact he knew behind close doors, nothing would be done about it. He knew he had the backing of the team, from every person he had a key position. He knows the team owners, directors, principles etc, will not say anything to him. So he decided to do as he pleases and cement his position in the team in front of the world and Mark Webber.
The real clarity of the situation is that as result of this the Red Bull team have said it’s now pointless to have team orders and have changed their philosophy as “Seb wont follow them anyway”. Are you fucking kidding me!?!? You abandon your rules for a driver. How weak is that!. Grow some fucking balls Christian and Helmut. No matter what, Seb has made you look like cocks.
The two drivers have never sat comfortably next to each other and neither do team mates have to. But this has properly divided the team and shown that a driver is now bigger than the team that that, that team is happy for that to happen. How sad.
So with all the dust settled, Seb has lost all respect from me. I always knew he was the person to do this sort of thing but to see it in that TV interview was just awful. 3 times champion he may be, but IMO I don’t think he has the talent or the respect to pull that kind of stunt off and be forgiven. As I said, Schumacher has done worse, but he got the respect from dragging a wholly awful team to a complete domination. Seb has always had a great car and the backing of the team. That’s fine, but at the very least you follow orders that were given in front of the whole world knowing your team would be dragged through the dirt for months to come as a result.
So at the end of this has just cemented my thoughts that the team and Seb are rotten to the core. All this could have been forgotten/forgiven until THAT interview. Seb dropped the ball on that and if anything, that interview has done more damage than the the actions he took in the race.
Oh another huge (obvious) point I forgot about.
This man disobeyed a direct order from his boss. Now if this was any other driver, we’d be pretty certain they would have gotten a serious talking to and while I’m not sure any disciplinary would be the answer here (make no mistake a race driver just wants to win) we know full well any talking to would be about making the team look like arses on TV.
Now Red Bull always bleat on about how Mark is a valued driver and the team is not biased to Vettel. Horse-shit. I can tell you with 100% certainty for one single reason. After the TV interview with Seb, the team said this (or thereabouts)
“We will no longer have team orders since Seb probably won’t follow them anyway”
YOU F***KING WHAT!!!!!
So not only do you not really say anything to Seb, on the actions of one driver, in one incident, your changing the way you are going to run the team!?!? A driver should really NEVER ignore a team order not like this one anyway. No matter the outcome, this is only a bad thing. It makes you look like an ass, the other driver then thinks what’s the point and will also ignore an order and you have chaos.
Now, by scrapping team orders, you get rid of the embarrassment of being ignored by your workers on live TV and any decision Mark has to make had there been an order for him the future.
However, at some point in this season I’m sure (and the sadistic part of me hopes) they will need to ask the drivers to either co-operate and make some sort of move to help Seb… Sorry, help the team out. It has got to happen and we are then back to square one. This will surely come late on in the championship. IF Mark is deciding to leave the team or has signed to another team already at the point or whatever, have a guess what he’ll do if the order is for him?
Red Bull and Sebastian needed this to go away very quickly and appear to do it with some authority. They’ve failed on both counts. The drivers will now do as they please, and now we and the press will always be wondering what the drivers will do if the team need to “alter or need help” for a result.
What they needed to do was not to kowtow to their drivers wishes and instead say that if either of you ignore your team principles’ order, you get his foot in your ass. End of, job done.