It is hard to remember a more explosive end to a Formula One Grand Prix than the weekend’s Mexican GP when Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was seen at his absolute worst. While the three time F1 world champion had abused several drivers via team radio across the weekend, it was in the final few laps of the grand prix that his bad temper stood out.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The whole incident was triggered when Max Verstappen was under immense pressure from Vettel with three laps remaining, causing the Dutch teenager to outbrake himself and run across the grass. However he failed to cede his third position to the Vettel Ferrari, and that started the most expletive-laden outburst ever seen on an F1 telecast as he first abused Verstappen and then FIA Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting for not taking action against the Red Bull driver.
However while this was taking place Daniel Ricciardo on fresher tyres had joined in the battle for third, and while Vettel seemed distracted, the Australian attempted to pass on the inside of turn three, but was squeezed to edge of the track. After light contact into the left-hander, Vettel prevailed to keep fourth, while Ricciardo then with a flat spotted tyre backed out of the battle. It was what happened at race end that bordered on being commical, for as Verstappen was set to walk onto the podium it was announced he had been given a five second penalty for not ceding, giving third to a then excited Vettel.
But in the coming hours his delight turned to despair when he learned he had received a ten second penalty for his move under braking against Ricciardo, a tactic Vettel has campaigned against this year and has only just been implemented. Meanwhile Vettel escaped any disciplinary action for his abusive radio tirade against Verstappen and Whiting after he wrote letters of apology to both FIA president Jean Todt and F1 race director Charlie Whiting for the profanities.
It is almost like the German driver is under immense pressure from himself, for he was the star for some time during his championship winning years with Red Bull. Since switching to Ferrari that hasn't happened, in fact his teammate Kimi Raikkonen has been showing him up to a point, so for someone who seems to live on his ego it would be a difficult pill to swallow.
The big dollar DJR Team Penske outfit has stolen a march on Triple Eight Race Engineering with the announcement their long-time Triple Eight technical director Ludo Lacroix is set to join the Penske operation. The Frenchman has been with Triple Eight for 17 years in the UK, and Australia where this year he has been engineer for Craig Lowwndes and the Team Vortex Holden.