Vettel calls Lewis's move "Stupid"

[F1fanaticBD]

Seems like Sebastian Vettel is not finished being penalized for an illegal move on Jensen, in the post race conference he said Lewis's move to unlap himself "Stupid". Now clearly he was not amused by Lewis fighting with him to unlap him, and costed him the 2nd place during the second stint, but was he correct to state that lapped car should get some clean air from leaders before he starts to race?

It seem very odd to me, that you are asking a driver to back off, just because you have lapped him. Its okay to be blue flagged if any slow driver is blocking a fast driver to pass when he was being lapped. But does the lapped driver have no right to be able to go faster and unlap himself? And if he is doing a clean racing move, goes faster than the car that lapped him, should he be called stupid?

I am not a Vettel-hater, but somehow this guy is hitting the nerve of mine. In China calling Narain a cucumber for his own fault, making the illegal move of Button and terming Lewis stupid just because Lewis unlapped himself, is really sounding a stupid guy himself now.

I could not find any regulation regarding passing a car to unlap during the race, so I don't know why did Vettel think, just because he had few better laps, and Lewis having no chance of winning cannot unlap himself. There might be questions raised that Mclaren instructed Lewis to race with Vettel so that Button can jump him during the pit window, and even it is the case I don't see any wrong doing as because Lewis had the pace as well as it was clean racing from the chap.

[lkjohnson1950]

Totally agree. If Lewis could have gotten by Alonso as well and then there is a safety car, he is back with a chance at points. Vettel seems like so many top athletes, completely spoiled and self centered.

[cosworth151]

During the race, we talked about this very thing in the Chat Room. We agreed that Lewis had every right to try to un-lap himself. As Lonny said, one Safety Car and he could have been right back in it. And, if he pushed Alonso into a mistake, so much the better for his team.

[David]

I can make up my mind on the right or wrong of a driver unlapping himself. 
I agree Lewis has the right to fight for his position in the race, but would we be saying the same if he had done the same and denied us a "photo finish" ending to a race? There is no doubt him passing Vettel impeded his progression in the race.

[John S]

There is no doubt him passing Vettel impeded his progression in the race.

Is that Vettel's or his own.  

Whilst I don't like the front runners having the extra aggro there is nothing in the rules, not even wording that can be interpreted more than one way,  so after obeying the stupid blue flag rule Lewis was free to attack any car in front of him if he has the speed to pass them. I'm sure Seb would be doing the same thing in the same circumstances, so his whinging does seem very hypocritical.  

[lkjohnson1950]

If Seb ever found himself a lap down and well out of the points he would probably retire the car.

[F1fanaticBD]

It seems like even Vettel's boss agrees with us

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accepted that there was nothing wrong with Lewis Hamilton passing Sebastian Vettel to unlap himself in the German Grand Prix.

Vettel was highly critical of Hamilton post-race after the McLaren driver got himself involved in the battle for the lead between Fernando Alonso, Vettel and Jenson Button.

But while Horner accepted that Hamilton's actions cost Red Bull a shot at victory, as it prevented Vettel from being close enough to potentially take the lead during the pitstops, he stopped short of criticising the 2008 world champion.

"If you look at the rules, I don't think that there is anything to say that a car can't unlap itself," said Horner. "It's frustrating that it cost us a second and it's unfortunate that he didn't unlap himself from Fernando as well.

"If it had cost Fernando a second as well, then it would have negated the disadvantage of being unlapped. But he was entitled to do it.

"We probably dropped about a second when Lewis unlapped himself, which was frustrating. But when you are fighting for hundredths and tenths of a second, that's the way it goes sometimes."

Horner also defended Vettel for his criticism of Hamilton, after the reigning world champion branded the McLaren driver as "stupid" in the post-race press conference.

"Obviously, drivers' emotions run high," said Horner. "It was an unusual situation because usually when you lap a car, it doesn't come back past you. But Lewis was on fresh tyres.

"In Seb's opinion, it affected his race and it did affect his race. But it's within the rules and he [Hamilton] did nothing wrong and arguably helped his team-mate."

(autosport.com)

[Jericoke]

Does anyone who follows F1 believe that Hamilton or McLaren would do anything to help Alonso/Ferrari on purpose?

It was about helping Button.  And it was about taking the McLaren for a good solid 'test'.  And it was about proving that despite everything, Hamilton had the car to win.

[F1fanaticBD]

Does anyone who follows F1 believe that Hamilton or McLaren would do anything to help Alonso/Ferrari on purpose?

Who on earth thinks like so Jeri? Of course it was all about helping Jensen, and also to prove that Mclaren had both car tuned almost properly, and its because of a bad start and a bad call from the marshals who thought keeping the debris on the track was a good solution, that resulted puncture and eventual retirement of the other Mclaren.

Vettel does have a bad mouth when is not in the brighter side of racing, isn't it?

[Monty]

I have connections with a couple of guys in the background of trackside F1 and they have always told me that Vettel is a prima-dona and that I shouldn't be fooled by the 'Mr Nice-Guy' image he portrays.
He has done a few things in public view that made me think these warnings might be true (e.g. his reaction to the crash with Webber).
Then there has been quite a lot of whinging.
Now this weekend we heard the radio call to his engineer when he couldn't overtake Button - "just do something".
Plus he publically calls Lewis stupid for unlapping himself. He would have done exactly what Lewis did if he was in the same situation and why not. If your car is fast enough to unlap yourself it is only right that you improve your position in case of an unforeseen situation such as a safety car period.

[F1fanaticBD]

If your car is fast enough to unlap yourself it is only right that you improve your position in case of an unforeseen situation such as a safety car period.

Could not have agreed more Monty, well said..

[Williamsfan]

I think it's been clear for a while that Seb is a bit of a diva.  He is fast and has good PR skills but he is sinking into that position where in his own head he is infinitely better than anyone and so anyone who challenges him is wrong.