Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, Circuit de Catalunya, 2019

Vettel wants to “burn” the rule book after losing review bid

2019 French Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel says he is disappointed by the stewards’ decision to reject Ferrari’s request for his Canadian Grand Prix penalty to be reviewed.

Asked whether he was surprised the request was denied, Vettel said: “No.”

“I think we have so many pages in our regulations that if you want I think you’ll find a paragraph that suits,” he explained.

“We obviously don’t share the opinion of the stewards during the race,” Vettel added. “We thought we could bring something new. Obviously now it’s disappointing that it doesn’t go any further but that’s it, you have to move on.”

Ferrari presented seven elements at the hearing which it claimed were new. The stewards ruled five of them were not new and the other two were not significant or relevant.

Vettel believes the sport has become over-regulated because run-off areas rarely punish drivers for going off the circuit.

“The problem is that we are heard with these things. I think this started a long time ago when it was about ‘did he cross the white line, use too much kerb’.

“Let us do what we want. If you are unhappy with how we race or how we drive then build different tracks. It’s easy as that. Don’t build car parks with lines and kerbs on it like [this] one.

“So anyway it is what it is. As I said there are too many paragraphs but what do you change, how can you change? Just burn the papers.”

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49 comments on “Vettel wants to “burn” the rule book after losing review bid”

  1. Neil (@neilosjames)
    21st June 2019, 17:42

    … until a rule suits him, at which point he’ll be digging through the ashes, trying to stick it back together. And I’m not bashing Vettel, it’d be exactly the same with the other 19 drivers.

    If the drivers (and the teams) really don’t want certain rules, surely they could (through the GPDA, or collectively as teams?) start to put some organised pressure on to have them eased? Or if they don’t want certain rules, perhaps they attempt to come to a collective agreement to never complain about a rival breaking a rule they disagree with.

    I don’t imagine they ever will, because (as above) they love rules when it gives them an advantage. But it’d be interesting if they actually did.

    1. @neilosjames

      Agree. I’m pretty sure that Ferrari were praising this specific rule when Max got penalised for pushing Kimi off the track at Japan last year. If it was left up to Ferrari they would use the rule book when things are in their favour and burn it when it harms them.

      1. this sums up ferrari mentality…
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9shj1rtGjg

        vettel’s own opinion: “obviously” he is not helping himself racing like that… rest in the video :)

        1. @mysticus

          Good find man. The level of double standards is hilarious.. Would be funny if the FIA showed Ferrari this clip just before they rejected their appeal.

    2. Would vettel be happy if Bernies £100m a year bribe to Ferrari was also burnt as part of the same deal?

  2. Vettel believes the sport has become over-regulated because run-off areas rarely punish drivers for going off the circuit.

    Straight from the horse’s mouth.

    1. +1 I was just getting ready to post this

      since the run-off area didn’t punish Seb the stewards did – Seb – Oh I didn’t mean it like that :)

      1. @blueruck

        Why should the run-off area punish him? And it’s not like a crane was sent specially for him to bring his stuck car back on track, as it happened with a certain driver in 2007.

        1. And it’s not like a crane was sent specially for him to bring his stuck car back on track, as it happened with a certain driver in 2007.

          The mental gymnastics here! Hahaha

        2. @bobec read Seb’s quote again – he complained that run-off areas don’t punish – I was agreeing with him

          We will all see what we want to see, I happen to see the same thing as the governing body.

    2. @david-br
      i found an “overwhelming” new evidence :) penalty should be reviewed again…
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9shj1rtGjg

      1. F1oSaurus (@)
        21st June 2019, 20:34

        @mysticus Ha, ha, ha yes those comments from Vettel about Verstappen are just hilarious.

        “it’s not the way we should be racing”

        Yes Exactly! Why not play fair and actually “allow” a battle for position? Vettel is the one who ruined that race by his dirty racing tactics.

        1. yeah, lets not forget mexico 2016, when max did make mistake after vettel’s pressure, situation was same albeit no safety issue was there, just gained advantage, and vettel cried like someone took his candy! max on the other hand knew he was gonna be punished and accepted and continued… but vettel wouldnt stop in the race, and after the race too… in his comments “obviously”: he pushed max to make a mistake, but max didnt pay for it! he means he didnt get the position back! but max got a penalty!
          max did get a penalty for 5 sec!
          vettel got 10 sec for closing the door on ric!

          i think review should have happened for this race, and instead of 5, *obligatory* “obviously” he should have gotten the 10 sec for dangerous driving which he deserved!! LecLerc deserved the 2nd more than he did!

          yeah some fans will laugh at it… but this is not the first time he did mistake! this is 50% rate in the last 10 or so races… he has a pattern “obviously”!

          1. F1oSaurus (@)
            22nd June 2019, 12:49

            @mysticus Totally agree. I really wish Ferrari would try to back Leclerc for a change and give him the benefit of tow in Q3 and prime strategy in the race. Let’s see if Leclerc can keep his head when the going gets tough. Vettel can’t “for sure”.

      2. Vladimir Tenjer
        21st June 2019, 21:42

        Hamilton was not close behind Vettel as Kimi vas to Verstappen. Try again.

        1. The offence was almost exactly the same. Try your defence again. Or better still, don’t.

          1. @Gav

            Actually he’s right, there’s nothing in common between the two incidents, apart from the fact there is a car going off-track at some point. And Vettel committed no offence.

        2. Did you see a wall next to kimi? I didn’t think so, hence why he didn’t backoff, if he had wall, kimi would certainly be backing off for future… Only max n vettel would not! Obviously what are they doing? Ping ping?

  3. The run-off areas rarely punish.

    Germany 2018
    Canada 2019

  4. The only way Ferrari/Vettel can win is by burning the rule book!!??!!! I wonder what Mark Webber thinks about that, or LeClerk.

    1. Mark agrees with Vettel in terms of this dumb penalty in canada and many of the points he raises here are things Mark has said in the past as well.

  5. “Let us do what we want. If you are unhappy with how we race or how we drive then build different tracks. It’s easy as that. Don’t build car parks with lines and kerbs on it like [this] one”

    The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has been there for over 40 years now, but we need to change it now because Sebby can’t keep it on the black stuff when the bad man won’t go away.

    Jesus me. The penalty was a harsh penalty, but Seb has really shown his spoilt-child side here and after the Canadian race.

    1. he’s not saying they should change montreal.

      he’s saying that many of the rules now that hinder drivers ability to race only exist because of the way modern circuits are designed and that is a view you hear from a lot of the drivers. it’s something similar to what lewis hamilton was saying recently.

    2. F1oSaurus (@)
      21st June 2019, 21:58

      Exactly why would the circuits need to change. How about this one, the tracks are designed with (your) safety in mind yet you can still adhere to the rules and simply race fairly?

      Or if you don’t … you get a penalty so you will learn not to use dirty tricks again.

      Or at least only a donkey would hit the same stone twice. But then Vettel is someone who hits a stone about 5 times per season on average …

    3. The penalty was a harsh penalty, but Seb has really shown his spoilt-child side here and after the Canadian race

      To be fair.. He’s been throwing his toys out of the pram since 2010. There have been plenty of incidents where he’s acted in an arrogant, immature and defiant manner when things don’t go his way.

      Vettel likes to bend his point of view to ensure he’s in the right. Think about him confronting Kvyat in China 2016 for a perfectly fair overtaking manoeuvre.. Accusing Webber for their contact in Turkey 2010.. Thinking he did nothing wrong in Baku 2017.. And not to mention blaming Verstappen on occasions for dangerous driving while he was playing bumper cars.

      He’s always been playing the innocent card and abusing or blaming stewards when things don’t go his way.

      So, his statements now come as no surprise to me.

  6. I understand his position completely. The run off rules quickly become meaningless when they are only applied in situations where cars are wheel to wheel. If vettel had been 5 seconds clear when he dropped it onto the grass we wouldn’t be taking about this now. But his ‘crime’ is precisely the same.

    This situation now is a corollary of the weakness of easy run offs. It will always happen when tarmac run offs are available because the rule can’t distinguish between types of run off. Going off the track should, no, must be punishment enough in and of itself. Rant over!

    1. @frood19, I too think it would be better if going off was punishment enough, to that purpose I suggest the run-off area should be peppered with vertical protrusions just high enough to damage the front wing, that should discourage short cuts with a minimum of extra danger.

    2. Of course, had Hamilton been 5 seconds behind, there would not have been any squeezing needed, and Vettel would have had all the space needed to come on track safely, so the act that’s not punished has some quite different elements to the one that was punished too, @frood19 – I think we would be saying that Vettel made a big error, but luckily he had created enough distance before to keep the winning position.

  7. It’s laughable how Vettel is essentially saying things many fans have been arguing for years yet suddenly fans are now against many of the things they have argued for simply because the driver making the argument is somebody that they decide they don’t like.

    And lets not ignore that he’s saying basically the same thing as the other drivers have been saying for a while now.

    I agree with his points, Have done for a long time when these silly anti-racing rules started to creep in over the past 10-15 years. Didn’t need them in the past & don’t now, Give the drivers more freedom & just leave them to race.

    1. when these silly anti-racing rules started to creep in over the past 10-15 years

      So from around the time Ferrari International Assistance, as it was then known (ask Ecclestone and Moseley), began penalizing Hamilton for everything, and/or changing the rules in retrospect. Hamilton’s invention of swerving not to block but to ‘unlock’ a tow was a case in point. Obviously many other drivers were penalized around this time, but there was a clear attempt from 2007-08 onwards to curb Hamilton’s (successful) racing style when – for the most part – he was causing no collisions or safety incidents. The rules were adapted. He adapted. Now everybody including Ferrari complains.

      1. I m wondering why vettel hasn’t joined in a demolition derby tournament, taking max maldonado n grosjean with them! It will be super competitive and they can sort out their gripes with each other like men on the track!

        Obviously F1 is not governed by ferrari rules book anymore!

        Vettel when following and making and overtake which gets blocked calls these:

        “If I don’t avoid that he is just going straight into my car, honestly, what are we doing? Racing or ping pong?”

        When he is the one defending, come on, let us race, and burn the rule book, this is for grown ups and not for kids! :) honestly and obviously!!!

    2. “Just leave them race” scrap F1 rules, replace with RallyCross rules, simples !

  8. Well, just grab a fuel canister, drop some of the fuel liquid onto the rule book, and then fire a match and drop it onto it.

  9. F1oSaurus (@)
    21st June 2019, 20:32

    It’s hilarious when Vettel (Ferrari) was calling for penalties against Verstappen’s defending. Then he finally got his wish with revised rules to penalize it. Who was the first to fall foul of this new rule … Vettel!

    Also how he was all in favor of Verstappen’s penalty in Suzuka 2018, yet for the exact same offence he pretends he did nothing wrong. In fact if anything, Vettel had much more control over his car than Verstappen did.

    The hypocrisy is staggering.

    1. It’s Ferrari + Vettel. The dream team of hypocrisy.

  10. great…now Vettel will be mad this weekend too and make more mistakes. That guy really needs to get his head on straight.

  11. Vettel is correct, the rule book is so thick you can find “a paragraph that suits” he should ask his team, they’ve been doing it to others for decades. While I think the penalty was unfortunate I have to say I’m enjoying the irony of Ferrari crying like spoilt babies when they’ve never shirked from moaning to the stewards about others when they feel it’s to their advantage

  12. I mean… I guess this is fine. If Lewis is forced to stay on track he loses 2-3 positions, but mario karts it across the grass, foot to the floor and increases his lead. No penalty.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI-nMx-gnTU

    1. That’s what I originally thought. But since the Vettel incident the forum experts tell me if you cut across grass you have no control of the car. So in that new light I can only admire Lewis for the way he was ‘out of control’ for all that time; yet unlike Vettel Lewis rejoined the track safely. Hell, the mans a hero!

      1. F1oSaurus (@)
        22nd June 2019, 12:52

        @riptide ROFL!

      2. This is documented many times and given an explanation! Everyone are given one jail free card “mistake” if no safety issue involved, then 2nd car did cut the corner too. So you think this is relevant? Hamilton was 8 plus sec ahead at the end and 20 plus ahead of others…

        If you saw safety issue, why don’t u provide your overwhelming new evidence?

        Ham wasn’t being catches up by trailer, and he didn’t squeeze anyone out, and he was miles ahead of others.

        Vettel is only sowing what he has been reaping!

  13. There are no doubt hundreds off historical incidents that both sides can point to to support their point of view, this is why the rules have been tightened up, not why they should be scrapped.

  14. geoffgroom44 (@)
    22nd June 2019, 8:41

    I am starting to detect a ‘maybe at the end of the season I retire’ campaign going on here.It’s difficult to completely accept that Seb hasn’t got a performing car,especially when LeClerc seems to shine so much.
    As reluctant as I am (admittedly not very) to think Seb’s earlier WC victories could be questionable (they faded out after the floor rule change,didn’t they?), it certainly appears that his Ferrari performances are…hmmm…often erratic and spiced with petulance.
    The rules are the rules.They are the same for everyone.It was a forced error under pressure that initiated this problem. Had there been any doubt the penalty would not stand then LH+Merc would certainly have had a different post lap 48 strategy.
    That having all been said, I do like Seb and do think he has been a remarkable driver. The hissy fits don’t serve him well though,huh?
    For all those professional race commentators who want to try and defend Seb/too many rules/make the season supposedly more exciting by promoting bad behaviour, even if we allow for some level of disappointment, the publicity campaign promoted by sign shifting at Parc ferme winners enclosure….did not serve Seb,Ferrari or F1 well. I am surprised to see so little critical comment about this in the media. Personally, I think he should have been banned for a race after that piece of kindergarten querulousness…and please don’t give me that line about professionalism,high adrenaline,’righteous’ anger…these guys are paid millions to drive like professionals within a rule based system.Any sympathy I could have had for Seb being forced into an error dissipated in the light of his post race behaviour.

  15. SeeBashem has just succeeded in adding Massive Hypocrite to his pantheon of other rubbish behaviour.
    Petulance. Sulking. Throwing toys out of pram. Spitting dummy our regularly. Red Mist moments, again regularly. Cracking too easily under pressure. Etc Etc Etc.
    A. He was under control & back on the track & deliberately jinked to his right, into LH’s path.
    B. His post race behaviour was totally out of order.
    C. Ferrari’s New evidence was ridiculous.
    D. Charles Leclerc has completely rattled Vettel.

    1. geoffgroom44 (@)
      22nd June 2019, 12:18

      agreed

    2. F1oSaurus (@)
      22nd June 2019, 12:55

      @wildbiker Indeed and as long as Ferrari keeps backing Vettel we will see him ruining many races every season again. In doing so he keeps on failing to actually mount a challenge to Mercedes, making F1 boring in the process.

    3. This soon can turn into Alo / Ham 2007 if they started to see the big pic with Lec…

      1. !00% Correct. Writ large that SV’s been found wanting & his successor is plain to see!

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