Sebastian Vettel achieved his 27th Grand Prix victory in Formula 1 by defeating Mark Webber at Sepang. And yet this race will be remembered for the ferocious Red Bull intra-team battle to secure the result.
The pair were wheel-to-wheel repeatedly in the closing laps before Vettel took the number one place.
Just behind them, a similar scenario was playing out between the Mercedes team-mates. The radio messages from team boss Ross Brawn made it clear that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg should hold track position.
Unlike his fellow countryman, Rosberg respected the team orders and obeyed the instructions not to challenge his team-mate.
As for the triple world champion, he made the pass against the team’s wishes and later apologised for the incident.
Taking part in his 200th Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso was a contender for the win but crashed out on the second lap after sustaining wing damage from nudging Vettel exiting Turn 1.
Track conditions had been wet at that start following a heavy pre-race shower.
Alonso immediately passed Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa off the line, resisted Webber’s outside-line attempt and attacked Vettel for the lead, but slid lightly into the Red Bull at Turn 2.
That dislodged the Ferrari’s front wing, a situation that worsened as the lap went on – though that did not stop Alonso from fending off Webber’s repeated challenges.
The Ferrari stayed out on track, seemingly hoping to coincide the wing change with a switch to the slick tyres, but as Webber passed Alonso on the pits straight, the Spaniard’s wing collapsed and sent him skating into the gravel and out of the race.
Vettel and Webber then ran first and second, swapping positions at the pit-stops as Vettel’s early change to slicks proved slightly premature.
Webber came under increasing pressure from Vettel in the middle of the race, while the Mercedes began catching them both.
This prompted Vettel to urge the team to get Webber out of his way, but the Australian managed to rebuild a lead and Vettel found himself dropping behind the earlier-pitting Hamilton at the third pit-stops.
Hamilton lost pace in the next stint, allowing Vettel to reclaim second into the first corner.
The world champion then played the early stop tactic at the fourth and final pit visit, which brought him right back onto Webber’s tail when the Australian changed tyres.
They grappled wheel to wheel through the first five corners for two consecutive laps, prompting frantic radio calls from a concerned Red Bull pit wall, before Vettel got decisively in front and went on to clinch another win.
The Mercedes had fallen away by that stage and were involved in their own intra-team controversy. After Hamilton and Rosberg swapped places repeatedly in the DRS zones for several laps, they were ordered to hold station and save fuel and tyres, to Rosberg’s clear displeasure.
Ferrari had to settle for fifth with Felipe Massa, who recovered to that position after losing ground in the early stages.
That place would have gone to Jenson Button had the McLaren not lost two minutes in the pits after pulling away with a loose right-front wheel and having to stop in the pitlane and wait for his mechanics to retrieve the car.
That was one of a wild array of pit incidents, which also included Hamilton mistakenly pulling into former team McLaren’s pit box, both Force Indias having to retire with wheelnut issues, and Charles Pic and Jean-Eric Vergne colliding amid pitstops.
Lotus claimed sixth and seventh with Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen, the latter having an uneventful race that included several trips off the circuit and a bitter battle with Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, who took eighth.
Sergio Perez was ninth for McLaren, while Vergne held off Valtteri Bottas to give Toro Rosso the final championship point.
The controversial result catapults the repentant Vettel into the lead in the drivers’ world championship with 40 points from Raikkonen on 31, Webber on 26, Hamilton on 25 and Massa on 22, while Red Bull have a comfortable lead in the constructors’ stakes with 66 points from Ferrari and Lotus on 40, and Mercedes on 37.
So after two dramatic races in the space of seven days, Formula 1 takes a three-week break before China. Hopefully the time will heal the relationship between the Red Bull drivers… if ever.
Malaysian Grand Prix, race results after 56 laps:
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:38:56.681
2. Webber Red Bull-Renault +4.298
3. Hamilton Mercedes +12.1
4. Rosberg Mercedes +12.640
5. Massa Ferrari +25.6
6. Grosjean Lotus-Renault +35.5
7. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault +48.4
8. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari +53.0
9. Perez McLaren-Mercedes +72.3
10. Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari +87.1
11. Bottas Williams-Renault +88.6
12. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari +1 lap
13. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth +1 lap
14. Pic Caterham-Renault +1 lap
15. Van der Garde Caterham-Renault +1 lap
16. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth +2 laps
17. Button McLaren-Mercedes +3 laps
18. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari +5 laps
Fastest lap: Perez, 1m39.199
Not classified/retirements:
Maldonado Williams-Renault 45 laps KERS
Sutil Force India-Mercedes 27 laps Wheel nut
Di Resta Force India-Mercedes 22 laps Wheel nut
Alonso Ferrari 1 lap Accident
World Championship standings, round 2:
Drivers:
1. Vettel 40
2. Raikkonen 31
3. Webber 26
4. Hamilton 25
5. Massa 22
6. Alonso 18
7. Rosberg 12
8. Grosjean 9
9. Sutil 6
10. Di Resta 4
11. Hulkenberg 4
12. Button 2
13. Perez 2
14. Vergne 1
Constructors:
1. Red Bull-Renault 66
2. Lotus-Renault 40
3. Ferrari 40
4. Mercedes 37
5. Force India-Mercedes 10
6. McLaren-Mercedes 4
7. Sauber-Ferrari 4
8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1
Next race: Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai. April 12-14.
Red Bull’s Mark Webber insists his team-mate ignored instructions to hold track position meaning Sebastian Vettel passing him for the race victory. Autosport.com has the story.
Mark Webber said Sebastian Vettel ignored Red Bull team instructions to steal Malaysian Grand Prix victory from him.
Vettel passed Webber for the lead in a fraught late battle in which they went closely wheel to wheel several times.
Team radio messages to Vettel included a suggestion that his actions were “silly” and later that he “had explaining to do”.
In the drivers’ room after the race, Webber angrily confronting Vettel with the phrase “multi 21”, believed to be team code for holding station.
Webber confirmed in an icy podium interview that Red Bull had asked the team to cruise to the end in order but Vettel had ignored that instruction.
“After the last stop the team told me the race was over and we turned the engine down to go to the end,” said Webber.
“I want to race as well, but in the end the team made a decision which we always say before the start of the race is how it’s probably going to be: we look after the tyres and get the cars to the end.
“In the end Seb made his own decisions today and will have protection as usual, and that’s the way it goes.
“I turned my engine down and started cruising on the tyres, and then the fight was on.
“I was disappointed with the outcome of today’s race.”
After winning the race in controversial circumstances, Sebastian Vettel has apologised to Mark Webber over the team orders issue. Autosport.com has the details.
Sebastian Vettel has apologised for beating Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber to win the Malaysian Grand Prix against team orders.
Webber had led much of the race and came out of the pits after his final stop just ahead of a challenging Vettel.
Despite Red Bull asking its drivers to hold station and to turn the engines down and look after the tyres, Vettel continued to attack.
After running very close to the pitwall as he challenged Webber, Vettel made it by to secure his first victory of 2013.
Webber made his displeasure obvious after the race and Vettel has now apologised.
“At end I felt I had strong pace and on a new set of medium tyres I had a bit more speed and it was a close fight, but I did a big mistake today,” said the triple champion.
“We should have stayed in the positions we were in. I didn’t ignore it [the order] on purpose but I messed up in that situation.
“I took the lead from Mark, which I can see now he is upset about, but I want to be honest and stick to truth, and apologise.
“I took quite a lot of risk to pass him and I should have behaved better.
“It doesn’t help his feelings right now. Apologies to Mark and now result is there, but all I can say is that I didn’t do it deliberately.”
In a similar situation at Mercedes, the team asked the drivers to hold track position. Nico Rosberg was not happy that he was unable to challenge Lewis Hamilton for third place. In the end, Rosberg respected the decision while Hamilton said that his team-mate deserves the podium result more. Autosport.com has the news story.
Lewis Hamilton has praised Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg for holding station behind him in the Malaysian Grand Prix and has not ruled out repaying the favour in future.
Hamilton challenged the Red Bulls early in the race, with Rosberg running in fourth, but fuel and tyre concerns meant he had to slow down.
That allowed Rosberg to close in and the German requested he be allowed through into third.
The team refused and told him to hold position, allowing Hamilton to score his first podium since joining Mercedes.
“If I’m honest I feel Nico should be standing here,” said Hamilton on the podium. “He had better pace through the race.
“We were racing very hard to keep up with Red Bull. We were close but on the knife-edge and I used too much fuel.
“It’s very difficult to make the tyres last too, particularly for me today. I wasn’t able to make them last as long as I wanted, and was fuel saving from an early point in the race, which lost me a lot of time.
“I don’t know what the situation was with Nico, but I can do a better job looking after tyres.”
Hamilton also said he would speak to Rosberg and could pay him back in future.
“He is a great team-mate,” added Hamilton. “I will speak to the team, or apologise. I said to him he did a fantastic job.
“Nico deserved to be where I am. With the position in the championship the team thought it was logical to stay in position, but Nico drove a smarter and more controlled race than me today.
“Would I let him past in the future? I probably would.”
Unlike what happened at Red Bull, Nico Rosberg respected the decision to hold track position and finished behind his Mercedes team-mate. Autosport.com has the news story.
Nico Rosberg said he fully understood Mercedes’ request for him to hold position behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Rosberg was adamant he was faster than Hamilton as he caught the third-placed Briton in the closing stages.
But team boss Ross Brawn asked both to back off, conserve fuel and tyres, and come home third and fourth.
Although Rosberg had urged Brawn to reconsider over the radio, after the race he said the squad’s instructions had been correct.
“It’s a team effort and I respected the team’s opinion,” said Rosberg.
“It was an important day. We’ve had such a tough time in past years, so to be third and fourth, and fighting the Red Bulls, is such a milestone.
“For the team to want us to bring it home third and fourth is fully understandable and I know if it had been the other way around they would’ve done the same thing.
“There will be times to fight between team-mates in the future.”
Hamilton said subsequently that he would be happy to return the favour in a future race, but Rosberg said that would not be necessary.
“It’s nice to hear him say that. It was fair play from me today,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say they owe me one because I understand. I drive for Mercedes and the guys at home who put their life into building the cars and do such a fantastic job.
“Of course there’s a small side of me that wants to go flat-out all the way to the end and be the one on the podium, but the time will come for that.”
Toro Rosso has been fined over the Malaysian Grand Prix pit incident in which Jean-Eric Vergne and Charles Pic tangled, but Vergne’s 10th place is not affected.
The clash occurred as both the Toro Rosso and Caterham pitted on lap seven.
Vergne was released from his pit as Pic was pulling in ahead of him.
The cars came together, breaking the Toro Rosso’s front wing and leaving Pic skewed sideways across the Caterham pit stall.
The stewards ruled that Toro Rosso’s pit release had been unsafe and imposed a $10,000 fine.
Team boss Franz Tost said: “We agree with their decision.”
Both drivers continued, with Vergne getting back to 10th and Pic finishing 14th.
Vergne felt the incident cost him a much better finish.
“It’s a shame that a mistake in the pits cost us so much, as I could have done something better,” he said.
“So, overall I feel rather frustrated. But I’ll take the point gladly.”
Source: Autosport.com
Ferrari takes blame for not calling in Fernando Alonso to replace the damaged front wing. Autosport.com has the details.
Stefano Domenicali has confirmed it was Ferrari’s decision to leave Fernando Alonso’s damaged car out on track in the Malaysian Grand Prix, which caused the Spaniard to crash out.
From row two, Alonso made a good start to challenge leader Sebastian Vettel, but he got too close to the Red Bull and nudged its rear at Turn 2.
Alonso continued in second, under attack from Mark Webber, until the front wing folded under the car approaching the first corner on lap two.
The Ferrari went off and Alonso was unable to get the F138 out of the gravel. The team had hoped he could continue until it was time to pit for dry tyres.
“We took a risk that didn’t pay off,” admitted Domenicali.
“After the touch, the race was not over and I considered the situation where there was a transition from wet to dry.
“In normal conditions you would come in, but in this transition, if you believe the wing can survive, you try and bide your time. You may have the chance to pit to change to the dry tyres and be the hero of the weekend.
“Unfortunately the wing didn’t stay there.”
Domenicali underlined it had been the team’s decision to take the risk, not Alonso’s.
“The decision was from the pitwall,” he added. “Obviously Fernando can feel it in the car, but he could not see the damage from his view.
“We take the responsibility as the team. The ‘kiss’ [on Vettel’s car] was unfortunate because we could have taken good points from this race.
“Fernando’s not happy to come away with zero points, but he’s positive and looking forward because he knows we have something to play with.”
McLaren says the pitstop mess that ruined Jenson Button’s Malaysian Grand Prix was caused by human error.
Button was on course for at least fifth place when he prematurely pulled away from his third pitstop.
His car’s right-front wheel had not been properly attached and he had to stop in the pitlane and wait for his mechanics to pull him back.
Button spent nearly 1m45s in the pits during the incident and fell to 14th place. He recovered to 12th before retiring due to a severe tyre vibration.
Team boss Martin Whitmarsh said the pitstop traffic light system had been triggered early and given Button a signal to go.
“For about 120 milliseconds, he had a green light, so with lightning-speed reaction – just as he’s paid to do – he pulled away,” Whitmarsh said.
“Those lights are controlled by a whole number of circumstances, like micro-switches and buttons that are around the car and a button was pressed and then released for about 120 milliseconds.
“These people are trying to do sub-two-second stops. There’s a lot going on in that time and a lot of pressure on people. Human error resulted in a green light.
“It’s one of those occasions when you wish your driver wasn’t so quick off the mark…”
Asked by AUTOSPORT if McLaren may revise its procedures in light of the incident, Whitmarsh felt major changes would not be necessary.
“There are fail-safes in there,” he said. “I think there are other things we can do, but at the end of the day this wasn’t a system failure.”
Source: Autosport.com
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso was quite certain that he could’ve won Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. But after damaging his front win against the back off race winner Sebastian Vettel, the Spaniard was forced out of the race after the wing broke off. Autosport.com has the details.
Fernando Alonso believes he could have fought for victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix had it not been for the wing damage that forced him out.
Alonso nudged Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull at Turn 2 on the opening lap, damaging the Ferrari’s front wing.
The team left Alonso out, waiting for the chance to change to dry tyres, but the wing failed completely at the start of lap two, putting the Spaniard out.
“Today we had a good car and I don’t think we were too far from Red Bull pace in the race,” said Alonso when asked by AUTOSPORT how competitive his race could have been.
“They didn’t have all the aces this weekend. No one was especially quick, so I think we could really have fought for the win.
“We are still missing some pace, but we have three weeks now to work and bring some new parts. Everyone will do it, but hopefully we can taker a bigger step than the others.”
Alonso does not blame the team for leaving him out and believes he was unfortunate to retire.
“It was a very, very small touch, but enough to damage the front wing a lot,” he said. “It was extremely bad luck in my opinion.
“We were constantly talking on the radio on the first lap. The car was behaving more or less well in the first two sectors.
“From the television the team saw damage, but we knew on lap three or four we would switch to dry tyres and if we could make it to then we could save 20-30 seconds in the race. To stop on lap one and lap three for the tyres is a little bit too much of a penalty.
“They said I didn’t have the front wing performance I should expect, but to see how the problem was going to develop on the next lap.
“Unfortunately on the back straight the front wing dropped. At that point we were five seconds before the pit entry and we didn’t make it.
“Looking now, after the incident, it was the wrong decision, but I think it was extremely unlucky – a combination of things that happened today.
“It can be the wrong decision or a good decision; you never know until you see afterwards.”
McLaren’s Jenson Button believes that without the pit-stop blunder, he would have finished the race on the podium. Autosport.com has the story.
Jenson Button believes a Malaysian Grand Prix podium finish was achievable had McLaren’s race not gone awry in the pits.
Button was running fifth and suspects he could have outfoxed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg by the finish had he made a three-stop strategy work.
The Mercedes ultimately pitted four times and cruised home under team orders nursing tyre wear and fuel shortages.
Button lost nearly two minutes when he was released early from his third pitstop and had to be dragged back for a wheel to be fitted correctly. He was running 12th when he eventually retired with a severe vibration.
“It’s easy to say I could have been on the podium,” said Button. “I’m sure people will disagree with me, but I think we had a chance to fight with Mercedes.
“We had one less pitstop to do. I don’t know what might have happened, but at worst it would’ve been fifth and we would’ve fought against Mercedes.”
The 2009 world champion also believes McLaren made substantial progress in Malaysia, having only finished ninth in Australia seven days earlier.
“It’s a good improvement on the last race,” Button said. “Only a week ago we never would’ve thought we’d be racing for fifth.
“There are positives, but it’s always very tough when you have issues like this.
“It’s a lot of points to throw away, but we are improving and I can see we can be even more competitive in China.”
Team-mate Sergio Perez managed ninth despite a last-minute fourth tyre stop.
“I think we managed to get the best out of the car,” he said.
“Eighth was possible. We stopped very late as the tyres gave up.”
Germany’s Nico Rosberg would have stood on the Malaysian Grand Prix podium had he taken a leaf out of compatriot Sebastian Vettel’s book and ignored his team’s orders on Sunday.
Instead, the Mercedes Formula One driver finished a frustrated fourth behind Lewis Hamilton but earned his team mate’s thanks and recognition.
“I don’t feel great sitting here. I think Nico deserves to be sitting where I am now,” Hamilton told reporters at a post-race news conference for the top three.
“I guess the team thought that with the positions in the championships, it was logical to stay in the positions we were in. I have to give congratulations to Nico as he drove a smarter, more controlled race than I did today.”
Triple world champion Vettel had earlier ignored Red Bull instructions and roared past team mate Mark Webber to steal a contentious victory at steamy Sepang that left the two drivers barely speaking to each other.
Rosberg had repeatedly asked his team to tell 2008 champion Hamilton to let him through, since he was faster, but the request was denied and he accepted the need to conserve fuel and go easy on the tyres.
While the bad blood between Webber and Vettel is likely to have ramifications for Red Bull, Rosberg’s obedience was warmly received by Mercedes and he clearly appreciated the importance of banking points.
“It’s an important day for us, that’s for sure. We’ve had such a tough time in the past years. To be third and fourth, fighting the Red Bulls is such a milestone,” said the German, whose win for Mercedes in China last season was their sole success in the past three years.
“We need to put in some consistency, so to bring it home third and fourth, fully understandable.
“I know that if it had been the other way round they would have done the same thing. So that’s okay. For sure, there will be time to fight also between team mates in the future.”
Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff said the decision to hold position may not have been the most popular among spectators but the team were determined to get both cars home safely.
“Obviously as a racing driver and from a sporting point of view you can question is that what the spectator wants to see or not?” the Austrian asked.
“But the team came from a very miserable second half of the season and it’s about bringing it home, scoring a solid result. And we had a problem with the fuel, so both cars were told to back off a little bit. Hearing Nico, I think he understood.”
Source: Autosport.com
Force India were forced to retire both cars over a wheelnut issue though the team insist it will keep the system in the next race. Autosport.com has the details.
Force India will persevere with the new captive wheelnut system that was responsible for its disastrous Malaysian Grand Prix.
The team was forced to retire the cars of both Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta after pitstop problems caused by what the team described as a “captive wheelnut failure”.
In a captive – also known as retained – wheelnut system, the nut stays attached to the wheelrim rather than staying in the gun when it is removed.
The design will be modified in time for the Chinese Grand Prix as the team believes that the concept is essential to minimise pitstop times.
“We won’t go back to the old part,” deputy team principal Bob Fernley told AUTOSPORT.
“Engineering are already looking at it now back at the factory so it shouldn’t be a problem for China.
“We can’t go backwards, you need to cure the problem and carry on with your development.
“Today, everyone’s pitstops are well under four seconds, but if you go back to the traditional route you are plus four.”
Force India’s captive wheelnut system is new for this year but this is the first time that it has encountered any problems.
Even though practice stops were conducted in Malaysia, it was not until the race that the problem manifested itself.
The wheelnut and insert (sleeve) are designed to be attached to and removed from the axle as one, but in Force India’s case they became separated.
“We simply had a problem with the sleeves probably because of the high temperatures that we haven’t seen previously,” said Fernley.
“We’ve run this in testing and in Australia and it’s obviously a tolerance issue.
“The wheel and insert [usually] come off together but because the axle was expanding it was holding the insert and the wheel was separating from it.
“So when you pull the wheel off you can’t get the other one on in its place [because the old insert remains] so it was a safety thing for us to stop.”
Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg say they are both comfortable with the team orders situation after a meeting following the Malaysian Grand Prix finish.
Rosberg had complained over the radio in the closing stages that he wanted to be allowed past third-placed Hamilton to try and catch the leading Red Bulls.
Team boss Ross Brawn insisted that the duo hold position to save fuel and tyres, but on the podium a subdued Hamilton insisted that Rosberg deserved the place.
Despite his radio angst, Rosberg said at the finish that he understood and accepted Mercedes’ stance.
Hamilton said he was proud of the team’s handling of the issue, and that the best response would be to work harder to outpace his team-mate.
“We just had a team talk and everyone has been fantastic,” Hamilton said.
“The guys did a good job and Nico did an exceptional job. He showed maturity and was in a unique and difficult position.
“But I’m going to work hard – harder – to make sure we’re not in that position again.
“It’s very difficult. We all work and train hard to win, and to beat the people around us.
“It was an equally difficult situation for me to stay ahead and not let him past, and it was difficult for him to stay behind. For me, I wanted to let him past, but we have standing orders.
“Like I said before, if we didn’t have the fuel issue the scenario would have been different today. But hats off to Nico. He was driver of the day for me.”
Rosberg reiterated that he saw Mercedes’ logic.
“Of course it is tough. I understand their point of view, but I also understood it in the moment,” he said.
“Of course I wanted to go for it, and go for the Red Bulls and see what we could do. I don’t know how far I would have got and I had to save a bit of fuel again, but nothing unusual.”
Source: Autosport.com
After winning the race, Sebastian Vettel said he made a mistake by ignoring team orders but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes the young German’s actions was deliberate. Autosport.com has the news story.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes there was nothing accidental about Sebastian Vettel’s ignoring of team orders to win the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Vettel plunged his Red Bull team into a huge controversy at Sepang on Sunday when he ignored a pitwall order to hold position and instead overtook team-mate Mark Webber to triumph.
Although Vettel apologised to the team and Webber for what happened – claiming his actions in defying orders were ‘not deliberate’ – Horner says he is not convinced.
When asked why the team did not ask Vettel to relinquish the position to Webber in the closing stages to make up for his defiance, Horner said: “Do you honestly think that if we had told him slow down and give the place back, he would have given it back?
“There was no point. He had made it quite clear what his intention was by making the move. He knew what the communication was. He had had the communication. He chose to ignore it.
“He put his interest beyond what the team’s position was. He was focused on those eight points difference between second and first place – which was wrong. He has accepted it was wrong.”
Horner said that the order for Webber and Vettel to hold station was given once they had settled into position after their final stops on lap 43.
The decision was justified because the team was worried letting them race to the flag risked severe tyre degradation problems.
“Following cars very closely destroys tyres,” said Horner. “We know we have been marginal all weekend on tyres and what we didn’t want to do is run out of tyres and take an unnecessary risk.
“From a team’s point of view, we are trying to manage the race from that final stop to the end of the race.
“At this point of the season it made sense to bank the 43 points. All you are doing to allow the two to race from a team perspective is to take unnecessary risk at this stage of the championship.
“Obviously Sebastian chose that he wanted those eight points and chose to take things into his own hands. He has apologised to his team for that and has apologised to Mark for that, and that is it.”
Horner said the matter was discussed at length in the post-race team debrief and he hoped the outfit could move on.
“We spoke to both drivers, and I have spoken to both drivers, and Sebastian has apologised to both Mark and the team,” said Horner. “So we have conducted our debrief as we would usually do and we will focus on the next race.”
Like I’ve said, Seb is a bit of a cock. I wonder what would have been said if it was Webber in Seb’s place? I’v never really liked the bloke and this has proved he thinks he is beyond all rules and the team is his to command. What a prick.
Rosberg on the other hand showed huge maturity and respect to his team to follow HIS orders!
Now, rebel drivers are not new if F1, but there is a difference here. Someone like Schumacher has behaved worse than this. However, despite being far more hated, everyone including his haters respected his massive abilities and reasonably forgave him for many stunts. Vettel on the other hand, despite winning three championships for himself, is not in the same league his his German counterpart. He has always had an incredible car behind him and to be honest in my opinion, never been that good when having to fight for his position on the track. Sure he has pulled some great moves, but sorry, he just ain’t that good to start defying team orders. Behind that grin, is someone who just don’t give shit and sadly his team don’t give a shit about anything else that isn’t to do with him either.
I feel for Webber massively and for sure Seb is the better driver and for sure the team are going to want Seb to “keep up the good work”. If there was no team orders, then I would have a issue with this. If they even said the opposite and for Mark to let Seb by would have been better than this (though still abhorrent at this early stage). But the very fact that Seb ignored orders, again, at this early stage was bang out of order (excuse the pun).
I never liked Red Bull since their treatment of Seb in his tussle with Mark in Turkey 2010. Since then it was clear they don’t give a shit about Mark. But I gave Seb a chance as it was not his fault they lick his arse. Now though, this is a whole different matter and I’m now putting Seb in the same boat. They suck and when Mark does leave (sooner than later after this f*ck-up) I feel whoever it is, is going to have a very hard time of it.
Anyways, a great show by Mercedes which must be boosting their moral knowing their car can be quick and I’m sure could of challenged the Red Bull’s had they put enough fuel into them. Oh and Seb’s excuse in qualifying about his slow pace being due to them setting the car up for wet conditions I think is bollocks. I think they, for now are struggling for pace.
Sorry to see the issues with Force India too. They seem to be going place too so long as they ditch this new wheel nut system.
From glory to nothing for Renault and Kimi’s lowly finishing place. God knows why, but that car was just awful today. I can’t imagine he’s a happy bunny.
But it’s a long wait now to China. I’m sure it’ll be full of reprimands for Seb, not! Hope Mark catches some nice waves in Australia and the medicine works. But if ever there was a time that reinforces his assumption that he plays second fiddle in the team, this was it. The only good thing was the who blatant it was and there was nothing the team could say to cover it up. Red Bull are well and truly exposed over this and all eyes are on them to fix it.
Thanks for the comment invisiblekid. You have very strong views on this team orders debate and to be honest, you are not the only one.
What Sebastian Vettel did on track was morally wrong and yet he is a racer. Given the opportunity to go for the overall victory, he ignored the team’s request to hold station (aka ‘Multi 21’) and went for the pass to take the win. Of course Mark Webber was outraged and following the overtake, the Australian actually pulled his middle finger at the young German…
This was a PR disaster for Red Bull Racing. With the world’s media on the drivers thanks to multiple cameras and microphones everywhere, the body language and sound quotes from Sebastian and Mark reveal the tense and difficult strain the team are going through.
It’s going to be fascinating whatever Sebastian has learned his lesson over the next few weeks come the following race in China. The media will undoubtedly asks more questions about the team order issues and we shall see if the triple world champion will now think of the team’s objective rather than his own personal gains.
As for Mercedes, this was a solid result for the Silver Arrows with a third and fourth place finish. The team have now scored more points (27) from a single weekend since the team returned back to the sport in 2010. An impressive achievement and yet the overall feeling from the drivers were mixed.
Lewis Hamilton used up all his fuel during the middle stint in his bid to chase and pass the Red Bulls. So come the end of the race, he was forced to back off and save fuel, in order to make it across the finishing line. This gave the chance for Nico Rosberg to catch and pass his team-mate on several occasions.
Team boss Ross Brawn issued out radio messages to Rosberg to maintain track position and not to overtake the ‘slow’ Hamilton. The German was upset and yet he played the team’s game by following the instructions and stayed behind his team-mate. He made the right decision by thinking about the team and not himself. Unlike his fellow countryman at Red Bull…
And what about Force India? This was simply embarrassing that both drivers had to retire with faulty wheelnuts. The team insist it will stick to the system as it speeds up the pit-stops, but it has to be more reliable if you want to gain time and performance.
As for Lotus and Kimi Raikkonen. What a difference seven days make. A popular winner in Australia, the Iceman struggled with race pace and was really angry with Nico Hulkenberg’s driving. I’m sorry, there was nothing wrong with his battle with Hulkenberg and to claim the Sauber was blocking you is really stupid. Nico was taking his racing line and he is not going to move out of the way. You are racing!
Anyway, appreciate the comment. It’s going to interesting what will happen next between Malaysia and China. One thing for certain, this season’s Formula 1 championship is certainly not boring!
Very honest view InvisibleKid, for one I agree!