Boeing 717

THIS!!

I had not considered that but your right. Just one point can make the difference.

morganabowen

I sadly agree. First, he runs up on Vettel then the decides he can get one more lap in before changing the wing/tires. BIG mistake Fernando's a pro, and I'm sure it won't happn again.....

Rich Sandor

A WDC contender should never be told to hold position behind a team mate, especially if they are close in terms of performance, and ESPECIALLY when the WDC could be won or lost by 1 point at the end of the season, as has lately been the case. No one gives a **** about the Constructor's title except the Team Boss. Let the drivers race. The team bosses have no one to blame but themselves for this situation. McLaren let Button and Hamilton race each other. It wasn't a problem. The whole team handled it with class. Horner and Brawn need a reality check. You don't get a constructors title without a WDC driver. You don't tell a WDC driver to hold position BEHIND a slower team mate. Now, if you hire a driver SPECIFICALLY to be the team bitch, that's another story.

/rant over.

Matt Lane

It may well be, but no one will ever care to remember a Constructor's title. And the (top) drivers know that.

Vettel doesn't feel like a hero today, but when he retires with X/many/the most drivers championships, it will all fade into the glorious past.

Best,

Matt

My993C2

In a perfect world there would be one team for every driver on the grid and we would not be dealing with team orders and hurt feelings. We would actually have everyone racing each other. Vettel would no longer screw Webber. Webber would not screw Vettel, Alonso would not be screwing Massa, etc, etc, etc. But we don't live in a perfect world.

What would Ayrton say about what happened today. I think we know what Ayrton would say:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko94oniszuA

aj986s

Isn't the Constructor Title worth a lot of money to the Team. A poorly executed pass taking out both Team cars could be rather costly.

Larry Herman

Yeah, he would have passed Webber just like Vettel did, but then would not have apologized.

Ray S

it was quite a....



wasn't it?

DB_NC_95C2

Alonso blew it big time, I was stunned he didn't pit, put on slicks, and just nurse it as best he could until the track dried enough. Unbelievable. I don't believe what we say was a team decision.

I was disappointed Kimi didn't have more pace. Hopefully more pace will come on many more circuits.

Both Nico and Lewis showed true class in their post race comments, Lewis giving credit where it was due Nico, and Nico accepting the boss's order to finish the race in Mercedes best finish not counting China last year. I'm rooting for both of these guys bigtime, and for Ross to keep his job, let Paddy focus on the technical stuff and Ross run the show. There's room for both, they don't need Lauda, they should just kick Lauda to the curb, and Toto has the power to do it but it's interesting that I haven't seen Lauda open his mouth and insert his foot after this result.

if Vettel did nothing wrong why apologize ? Both Horner and Webber both made it clear what Vettel did, he thought he was above the interest of the team. And people wonder why I can't stand the little pr!ck

My993C2

Agreed ...

Vettel is already hated by many for winning. So what does he have to lose. It's not like his haters are going to all of a sudden like him because he let his teammate win a race. I know why Vettel passed Webber today and it should be obvious to everyone else. Vettel and Alonso are going to battle each other all season long and it could come down to a couple of points in the last race like it did in 2010 and 2012. If Vettel wins the 2013 WDC by less than 7 points remember how he did it. He didn't do it being a nice guy. It's not like the Spaniard is going to be nice, so why should the German be nice.

agdamis

+1

Flying Finn

2 races in and Webber has no chance? Vettel was behind Webber and only passed him,because Webber was cruising.

They were allowed to race until last pits, then the order was frozen, IMO that's the best way to do in F1, gives both drivers a chance and also in the end, makes it safer for the team.

What went wrong, was Vettel being a total ***, when a team tells its drivers to freeze it for the rest of the races, you better do it because the other guy is doing it. Webber could've defended Vettel but wasn't ready for it because they were supposed to cruise til' then end...

I like Vettel and he IS better driver than Webber but that was completely wrong move from him, real bad. Last time I remember similar that was bad was when Gilles was on the short end of a stick like this.

I really hope Vettel makes this right asap, Webber deserved this one.

agdamis

From pitpass.com


Sebastian Vettel bullied his way in to the lead of the Malaysian Grand Prix today, ignoring team orders and afterwards attempted to claim he didn't mean to.

Webber was clearly furious and did well not to say something he'd later regret. Vettel however was less nimble in the face of a hostile media conference.

The moments before the post-race press conference were comical as two Red Bull PR staff tried desperately to get to their drivers, clearly looking to diffuse what was about to be an explosive press conference.

With television timetables to keep they were denied access and told in no uncertain terms to take their seat.

The hostile media then unleashed a barrage of questions which made Vettel increasingly uncomfortable.

"I think I did I big mistake today," said the German. "I think we should have stayed in the positions that we were.

"I didn't ignore it on purpose but I messed up in that situation and obviously took the lead," he added. "I want to be honest at least and stick to the truth and apologise."

It's difficult to pass in Formula One. It's even harder to do it by accident.

Claims he didn't realise that he had made a mistake until he took off his helmet are simply untrue, in this writer's humble opinion.

During the heat of combat Red Bull boss Christian Horner could be heard telling his driver to calm down, while on the cool down lap Vettel's engineer 'Rocky' told his driver there would be some explaining to do.

He had some ten laps from when he passed Webber until the end of the race in which to correct his 'mistake' and chose not to.

When Vettel apologised during the press conference it seemed hollow and meaningless, said for the sake of saying it rather than being truly heart-felt.

For once it seemed the Red Bull team supported Webber, though admitted it was all but powerless to do anything to stop Vettel.

"Instruction was given to both cars to hold position," Horner explained after a lengthy post-race debrief with both drivers. "Sebastian has obviously chosen to ignore that.

f8vr993

I couldn't read all 6 pages to get what i wanted to say so pardon me if this is repeat...
First, what happend in that first corner? Alonso simply didn't brake fast enough for Vettel or possibly Vettel braked a bit early so Alonso will leave some room behind for SV to hard accelerate to next corner.

Secondly, is it Ferrari team's fault who could see on TV how badly front wing was damaged and should have ordered Alonso to come in immediately or did Alonso just refused thinking its running okay and I don't want to lose 2nd position(?!) Who's to blame here??

Third, so what Vettel ignored the team order and passes Webber? He had 10 laps to go and that's alot of time left to just cruise behind for 2nd place. I don't agree with team orders and if you're faster and being #1 driver, do what you want and when you can anytime for #2. Considering how close many past season's WDC came down to, I have no problem accepting what Vettel did today. If Alonso don't win next one, then I can already see Vettel's next WDC coming...

Btw, Hammy going to Mclaren pit box was HILARIOUS!!!

rlets

Interestingly, we have both outcomes of the same team tactics. Both Mercedes and Red Bull told the drivers to hold station from the final pit stop. One order was obeyed, one was not. For the same reasons we praise Nico Rosberg for his handling of the situation, we have to critizise Sebastian Vettel for his. Mark Webber is rightly upset and Lewis Hamilton should be praised for his behavior as well. Kind of a bummer of a podium ceremony but the interview was professional. Unlike swearing up a storm and pouring champaign on the interviewer's head.

McLaren lets their drivers race. Ferrari never has, and Ross Brawn never has. Red Bull seems to not and I can't fault them since the debacle in Turkey.

For Alonso's retirement, I have to admire Ferrari's risk. Like they did years back at a rainy Monza race, they went with an aggressive strategy and tried to take advantage of a situation. Yes, they were going to have to pit earlier than everybody else. But what if they could get one more lap on the intermediates. The track would be that much dryer that perhaps Alonso could get out on dry tires. That wing looked okay on the back straight, I yelled "stay out" at the TV and Buxton called that too from the pit lane. That the gamble didn't work is "bad luck" as Alonso says.

Rich