It’s on: F1’s top duo go at it
Lewis Hamilton lashes out at Sebastian Vettel after German swerves car into his path
As Daniel Ricciardo celebrated winning a hectic Azerbaijan Grand Prix yesterday, title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel clashed in a bitter incident that could shape the rest of an intriguing Formula One season.
Hamilton accused Vettel of “disrespectful” driving after the four-time champion pulled alongside Hamilton and appeared to deliberately swerve into him when they were behind the safety car approaching the midway point of a stop-start race.
“Ultimately what happened today was disrespectful. It’s not deserving of that reaction from someone you have respect for,” Hamilton said.
“A multi world champion should behave better than that. It’s what you expect in go karts. That’s not how you drive.”
Vettel, who is chasing a fifth world title to stop Hamilton winning a fourth, was given a 10-second time penalty for the incident.
Hamilton, less angry in his media briefing than immediately after the race on television, maintained Vettel shunted him on purpose.
“It couldn’t be clearer. It’s clear as blue skies,” the British driver said. “Some people don’t like to own up to their own mistakes.”
After eight races of a see-saw season, Vettel for Ferrari leads second-placed Hamilton for Mercedes by 14 points. They have won three races each and — over the first seven races at least — both had spoken at length of their huge admiration for each other.
But this is the first time they have been main rivals for the title, and the pressure is showing.
“Today wasn’t fair play. Today was obviously a different Sebastian we’re seeing,” Hamilton said. “I like to think that I remain respectful and I’ll continue to do so. I want to win the championship the right way.”
Ricciardo secured his fifth career win, while Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas overtook 18-year-old Canadian 153pts .. 139 .. 111 moved his car to the right and into him. Vettel thought Hamilton had slammed the brakes on intentionally — which is known as brake-testing — which Hamilton denied.
“The stewards looked at my data,” Hamilton said. “Clearly I didn’t.”
Speaking on Britain’s Channel 4 television just after the race, Hamilton went as far as to say that Vettel “disgraced himself”, adding that “if he wants to prove he is a man we should do it out of the car.”
But Vettel maintained that Hamilton was just as much to blame.
“If I get a penalty then we should both get a penalty,” the German driver said. “He did something similar a couple of years ago in China at a restart. It’s just not the way to do it.”
Despite Vettel’s time penalty, Hamilton lost valuable time of his own — and possibly the race — changing a loose headrest.
Hamilton was on Vettel’s tail on the last lap, but could not overtake.
The fact Ricciardo won from 10th on the grid, and that Bottas clawed his way back from last following an early incident, summed up one of the most bizarre races for years.
It was also a superb performance from Stroll, the son of a billionaire, who faced heavy criticism earlier in the season.
“I’m just lost for words,” said Stroll, who earned his first podium finish. “It’s beyond amazing.”
Ricciardo, as he likes to do on the podium, took off one of his race shoes and filled it with Champagne. Then he passed the shoe to Stroll, who — barely old enough to drink — took a swig.