Vettel broke safety car re-start rules: Hamilton
BAKU: Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has accused Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel of failing to play by the rules when leading behind the safety car in Sunday’s chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver said he would seek clarification from race director Charlie Whiting ahead of the next race.
Hamilton, who won in Baku and now leads Vettel by four points after four races, was on the receiving end of a famous “road rage” incident in Azerbaijan last year when the roles were reversed. Then, the Briton was leading the German while the safety car was deployed and was accused of “brake testing”, with the two colliding and the Ferrari driver angrily pulling alongside to bang wheels.
Vettel later apologised for his behaviour. “The rules are that when the safety car goes (in), you’re not allowed to start and stop, start and stop,” Hamilton said. “You’re not allowed to gas and then brake. You’re not allowed to fake the guy behind.
“Because naturally if there was not that rule, that’s what you’d do because eventually you’d catch them sleeping. You’re not allowed to do that.
“Every re-start I’ve done...i’ve abided by that,” the Briton said. “In Australia, Sebastian accelerated and then braked and I nearly went up the back end of him. And today he did it like maybe four times.” Hamilton said he believed Whiting had passed the matter on to stewards for their consideration but they had decided not to take action because the other cars were doing it.