Vettel blames Webber

[Canada Darrell™]

 

http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=48544

And here I thought the crazy/swirling finger gesturing was him blaming himself for a bonehead move.

[Dare]

I hope Vettel had a different replay than the
one I saw.

He's really moved up on my list,the drivers
I don't care for list

[Williamsfan]

Well, I am hoping this is a one off but he needs to control his overtaking against his team mate if today is a sign of his future intent.  I won't add him to the hate list yet 

[Scott]

I hope it's a one off too...and I'm not sure which replay he was looking at either   

[David]

Vettel is an idiot if he thinks Webber was to blame. IMO he lost the car when he hit the brakes too hard, vearing into Mark's car.

I hope Mark gets the WDC this year at Vettel's expense. 

[lkjohnson1950]

Vettel's car clearly swerves into Webber. I think he slid a bit on the verge and momentarily lost the car. And if Webber had been told to conserve fuel while Vettel had not, no wonder Seb was catching him. Why would Webber need to conserve while Vettel did not? I think I smell a rat, especially considering the team's reaction after the incident. Much was said on Speed about Vettel being unhappy being out performed over the last few races, perhaps the team was trying to hand the fair haired boy a win on a silver platter? I smell last weeks tuna. 

Lonny

[Williamsfan]

The whole thing stinks. Vettel had to get past Webber to stop him bein overtaken by Hamilton? Surely given Webber was running on a reduced engine setting, Vettel needed to be his rear gunner to stop Hamilton and Button easing past Webber, especially as Seb didn't have the same restrictions?  Red Bull suddenly do not seem as fun as they once did.

[stealthhaggis]

Red Bull are their own worst enemies at the moment, car bit failing and now drivers failing! Vettel was 100% in the wrong, he should fess up and move on. I did enjoy Webber showing Hamilton what had happened in the press conference! Made me chuckle.

[Scott]

Vettel's car clearly swerves into Webber. I think he slid a bit on the verge and momentarily lost the car. And if Webber had been told to conserve fuel while Vettel had not, no wonder Seb was catching him. Why would Webber need to conserve while Vettel did not? I think I smell a rat, especially considering the team's reaction after the incident. Much was said on Speed about Vettel being unhappy being out performed over the last few races, perhaps the team was trying to hand the fair haired boy a win on a silver platter? I smell last weeks tuna. 

Lonny

As much as I tend to agree with you, I read somewhere that the reason Mark was told to turn down the engine was to save some fuel.  Seb had run the entire race in Mark's stream (however much of that there is), so had saved enough fuel already to run a few laps longer than Mark on full power. 

Why it was important to the team to get Seb past Mark before he had to turn down his own engine settings is the stuff of conspiracy to me.

But at the end of the day, Mark gave Vettel enough room to pass - Vettel clearly veered into Mark's car long before he was past.  No question on fault and no question that RBR management had better sort themselves out before they go speaking to the press again.  Don't one week talk about how thrilled you are with Mark and how re-signing him is essentially a done deal and then the following week come down on the wrong driver for the wrong reasons.  Spank Vettel, have him publicly apologise to Webber for the finger twirling, and get on with the season.  This sort of thing could affect the team to its core.

[cosworth151]

I agree, Scott. It looked like Vettel swerved into Mark. Vettel doing a Danica ("It's not my fault!") isn't helping him.

[Jericoke]

If the team thought it was better to have Vettel in front of Webber, it would have been helpful to radio the Aussie.  (Never team orders, but just suggest that Vettel had more fuel, and might make a pass attempt... I think that if Webber had been EXPECTING the move, he might've behaved differently.  Still 100% Vettel's fault in my eyes.)

[Scott]

If Mark's not contractually bound to let Vettel through, then I suspect even if the team had let him know it was coming, he wouldn't have been any more gracious about it - in fact he might have just turned his engine back up to prevent it.

The conspiracy at the moment on other forums seems to be that RBR telling Webber to turn down his engine settings was simply a veiled team order...judging by the post-race remarks of both Marko and Horner, I would tend to agree.  Surely the RBR's have a fuel tank with capacity to finish every race of the calendar on full power.  Virgin might make a mistake in the math, but I doubt Newey would.

[Jericoke]

If Mark's not contractually bound to let Vettel through, then I suspect even if the team had let him know it was coming, he wouldn't have been any more gracious about it - in fact he might have just turned his engine back up to prevent it.

I'm not suggesting Mark would be more gracious about it, but he'd have expected it, and either defended earlier, or moved out of the way.  When your teammate is behind you, you drive differently than someone else who you know is trying to pass.

The conspiracy at the moment on other forums seems to be that RBR telling Webber to turn down his engine settings was simply a veiled team order...judging by the post-race remarks of both Marko and Horner, I would tend to agree.  Surely the RBR's have a fuel tank with capacity to finish every race of the calendar on full power.  Virgin might make a mistake in the math, but I doubt Newey would.

Well, depends on the strategy, doesn't it?  A lighter load means building up an early lead, and then coasting to the finish.  It's obvioiusly risky, but I don't think RBR was prepared for McLaren's pace.

[Scott]

He clearly knew it was his teammate behind him, and judging by his line down the straight (defending but leaving just a car width), he knew the pass was coming. 

Read what you want into the idea that RBR had Mark turn down his engine to allow Vettel to pass - strategy, pressure from Hammy, team order.  It just sounds a bit fishy that the pass attempt was made only a couple of laps after that order from the team...and as Mark said, he wasn't sure if Vettel had gotten the same instruction.

I don't know how many teams would gamble on safety car laps or bad conditions to make their mileage work for a race these days.  I would suspect none.  Mistakes and risky strategies were made in the refuelling days, but it is too risky now.  No chance for a splash and dash since there is no refuelling allowed.  The car should have been filled to make the finish line in any conditions.  The alternative of coasting through the last few corners while everyone else sails past is suicide for whoever gave the order for that strategy.

[John S]

The conspiracy at the moment on other forums seems to be that RBR telling Webber to turn down his engine settings was simply a veiled team order...j

I have to agree that something funny was going on all round with the fuel save instructions.

I remember saying to my son as we watched the TV coverage of the race that the McLaren radio traffic about fuel saving, after the two red Bull's had tangled, was a disguised message to take it easy and not race. This accounts for the much stronger message to the McLaren boys after Jens had caught Lewis napping and they had banged wheels when Lewis pushed back into the lead again.

Perhaps something similar was going on with RBR but vettel chose to give it one shot anyway, the team have to cover him and themselves or face an enquiry about team orders. The trouble with coded team instructions they have to remain secret, so even if one of the drivers disobeys they can't admit to it and openly punish them, hence drivers can take liberties if they choose.