Pit Bulls: Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber still snarling at each other over Malaysia madness
"Mark didn’t deserve win” insists German as Red Bull team-mate he was told not to overtake admits relationship is strained "and it’s not the first time"
"I would probably do the same again": Vettel has not been punished by Red Bull
Vladimir Rys
From Byron Young in Shanghai
Sebastian Vettel stoked Red Bull’s Malaysia tea-orders controversy by saying colleague Mark Webber “did not deserve to win” in Sepang.And the 25-year-old hinted his actions were tantamount to a revenge for the Australian’s actions at last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix which almost cost him the world title.Red Bull sank deeper into controversy as Formula 1 arrived in the Shanghai paddock on Thursday.The contrite German who stepped off the podium in Kuala Lumpur three weeks ago was nowhere in sight. Instead there appeared a bullish new Vettel who dished out cold contempt to Webber and the media questioning his morals at ambushing his teammate for seven extra points.And he insisted that given the chance to relive the events of Sunday in Sepang he’d do exactly the same again.“After all that happened in the past few years Mark didn’t deserve to win,” said Vettel.“I have never had support from his side. I respect him a lot as a racing driver but there has been more than one occasion in the past where he could have helped the team.”So it was a revenge victory?“You could say it, indirectly. In my opinion, it always best to be truthful.“My intention, for sure as a racing driver, was to win the race. I wanted to win and I succeeded. I wasn’t thinking about the extra points”
Surprisingly, as the war escalated on one side of the garage on the other there were only muted sounds And that was even though Vettel’s new version of events looked about as genuine as the Rolex on sale at the local counterfeit market for £40.And the world champion had another surprise in store on the secret “multi 21” team orders call that has been in operation for over two years.Now he is saying he didn’t understand it.Slightly different behaviour to the man who stood silent and shamefaced when a frustrated Webber confronted him behind the scenes before the podium ceremony, spread his arms wide and said “Multi 21, multi 21?”.Vettel hung his head, sipped his water and had no response.Three weeks of reflection have bought forth a raft of new information. “I got a call on the radio, which I heard but I didn’t understand it at the time,” said the world champion.“I should have understood, which is why I apologised to the team because, with my actions, I put myself above the team.“That was the intention, whether you believe me or not is up to you.He even denied the imperious radio command heard by all the world, ordering the team that Webber was “too slow, get him out of the way”.“It was a bit misunderstood because probably what I said came across as arrogant. What I actually meant was I had pressure from behind.”As to the crucial question of whether he would have obeyed team orders had he understood Vettel had no doubt.“I was faster but I am the kind of guy that respects team decisions, but on the other hand, Mark is not the one that deserved the win it at the time.”Given the opportunity to repeat the moment he added “I would probably do the same.”And he even tried to insist that there was no “war” between the two team-mates.“We said ‘hi’ just like we do every other time. There is no war, there is no big fuss. I don’t know what the big deal is. “I can say it again if you like. Basically, I didn’t mean to ignore the team order. I heard it but I didn’t translate it the proper way, the way I should have.
Grrrrrrrrr! Tenacious Vettel has stood his ground over Sepang
Vladimir Rys
“I apologise for that, because with my action I put myself above the team.
“Had I understood the message, I think I would have thought about, it, reflected on what it means, on what the team wanted me to do, which was leave Mark in first place and me second.
“Having thought about it I probably would have done the same thing because Mark didn’t deserve that win. “Vettel said a brief loss of memory was responsible for him forgetting what ‘multi 21’ meant.“It is a code. Believe it or not, it is up to you," he said. "I can only say what really happened and whether you buy it or not is up to you.“I was looking on the steering wheel and got a little bit confused because I couldn’t find it there on the engine mapping.“We do map changes all the time through the race. But you are right, we have had this code for quite a while and I should have understood but I didn’t.”Having realised he has escaped sanction at the hands of his team boss empowered Vettel was confident enough to make fun of the prospect of someone punishing him, the world champion. “Well there a lot of marks on my back,” he joked. “Maybe it is a bit of dreamland that you all live in. What do you expect to happen? Make a suggestion.”Meanwhile, Webber said: “Obviously the relationship has been strained and it’s not the first time. At the moment we will just focus on our individual performances and go from there.“I think the team did a not-bad job in Malaysia, actually. They tried to do what they could do for the first time in a while. It was a very awkward situation for a lot of people.“That scenario may never happen again this year - but it might happen again this weekend.“That’s something we don’t know so let’s see what decisions in the future.”
"Mark didn’t deserve win” insists German as Red Bull team-mate he was told not to overtake admits relationship is strained "and it’s not the first time"
"I would probably do the same again": Vettel has not been punished by Red Bull
Vladimir Rys
From Byron Young in Shanghai
Sebastian Vettel stoked Red Bull’s Malaysia tea-orders controversy by saying colleague Mark Webber “did not deserve to win” in Sepang.And the 25-year-old hinted his actions were tantamount to a revenge for the Australian’s actions at last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix which almost cost him the world title.Red Bull sank deeper into controversy as Formula 1 arrived in the Shanghai paddock on Thursday.The contrite German who stepped off the podium in Kuala Lumpur three weeks ago was nowhere in sight. Instead there appeared a bullish new Vettel who dished out cold contempt to Webber and the media questioning his morals at ambushing his teammate for seven extra points.And he insisted that given the chance to relive the events of Sunday in Sepang he’d do exactly the same again.“After all that happened in the past few years Mark didn’t deserve to win,” said Vettel.“I have never had support from his side. I respect him a lot as a racing driver but there has been more than one occasion in the past where he could have helped the team.”So it was a revenge victory?“You could say it, indirectly. In my opinion, it always best to be truthful.“My intention, for sure as a racing driver, was to win the race. I wanted to win and I succeeded. I wasn’t thinking about the extra points”
Surprisingly, as the war escalated on one side of the garage on the other there were only muted sounds And that was even though Vettel’s new version of events looked about as genuine as the Rolex on sale at the local counterfeit market for £40.And the world champion had another surprise in store on the secret “multi 21” team orders call that has been in operation for over two years.Now he is saying he didn’t understand it.Slightly different behaviour to the man who stood silent and shamefaced when a frustrated Webber confronted him behind the scenes before the podium ceremony, spread his arms wide and said “Multi 21, multi 21?”.Vettel hung his head, sipped his water and had no response.Three weeks of reflection have bought forth a raft of new information. “I got a call on the radio, which I heard but I didn’t understand it at the time,” said the world champion.“I should have understood, which is why I apologised to the team because, with my actions, I put myself above the team.“That was the intention, whether you believe me or not is up to you.He even denied the imperious radio command heard by all the world, ordering the team that Webber was “too slow, get him out of the way”.“It was a bit misunderstood because probably what I said came across as arrogant. What I actually meant was I had pressure from behind.”As to the crucial question of whether he would have obeyed team orders had he understood Vettel had no doubt.“I was faster but I am the kind of guy that respects team decisions, but on the other hand, Mark is not the one that deserved the win it at the time.”Given the opportunity to repeat the moment he added “I would probably do the same.”And he even tried to insist that there was no “war” between the two team-mates.“We said ‘hi’ just like we do every other time. There is no war, there is no big fuss. I don’t know what the big deal is. “I can say it again if you like. Basically, I didn’t mean to ignore the team order. I heard it but I didn’t translate it the proper way, the way I should have.
Grrrrrrrrr! Tenacious Vettel has stood his ground over Sepang
Vladimir Rys
“I apologise for that, because with my action I put myself above the team.
“Had I understood the message, I think I would have thought about, it, reflected on what it means, on what the team wanted me to do, which was leave Mark in first place and me second.
“Having thought about it I probably would have done the same thing because Mark didn’t deserve that win. “Vettel said a brief loss of memory was responsible for him forgetting what ‘multi 21’ meant.“It is a code. Believe it or not, it is up to you," he said. "I can only say what really happened and whether you buy it or not is up to you.“I was looking on the steering wheel and got a little bit confused because I couldn’t find it there on the engine mapping.“We do map changes all the time through the race. But you are right, we have had this code for quite a while and I should have understood but I didn’t.”Having realised he has escaped sanction at the hands of his team boss empowered Vettel was confident enough to make fun of the prospect of someone punishing him, the world champion. “Well there a lot of marks on my back,” he joked. “Maybe it is a bit of dreamland that you all live in. What do you expect to happen? Make a suggestion.”Meanwhile, Webber said: “Obviously the relationship has been strained and it’s not the first time. At the moment we will just focus on our individual performances and go from there.“I think the team did a not-bad job in Malaysia, actually. They tried to do what they could do for the first time in a while. It was a very awkward situation for a lot of people.“That scenario may never happen again this year - but it might happen again this weekend.“That’s something we don’t know so let’s see what decisions in the future.”