Hamilton should ‘share blame’

Formula one: Scots racing legend hits out at behaviour after Baku bust-up

Sir Jackie Stewart believes Lewis Hamilton must take some of the blame for an on-track bust-up with title rival Sebastian Vettel during Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

Vettel hit the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes as the pair weaved behind the safety car, with the German claiming he had been brake-tested by the three-time world champion.

The Ferrari man responded by pulling up alongside Hamilton, gesticulating and then seemingly driving into the side of the Mercedes before falling back in line.

Hamilton denied braking suddenly and labelled his rival a “disgrace” – with Vettel hit with a 10-second stop-and-go penalty and handed three penalty points on his licence following his actions.

But, while Stewart feels Vettel has tarnished his reputation with the stunt, the Scot – world champion in 1969, 1971 and 1973 – reckons Hamilton should accept a portion of the responsibility for the flashpoint.

“His reputation is certainly tarnished,” Stewart told Press Association Sport when asked about Vettel’s actions.

“But at the same time what created the incident is what occurred when Lewis slowed down so quickly in a very unlikely place. You have got to take that into account.

“That was a shock to Sebastian, and that is why he came alongside Lewis to ask ‘what the hell are you doing?’ What Vettel then did was to unquestionably collide with Hamilton. There is no room for that, no excuse for that and it is wrong. It is inappropriate behaviour.

“It would be very simple to put the complete blame on one man, but what initiated the bad behaviour was what happened before.

“It was totally unexpected. I am not trying to hook Lewis into this the wrong way, but that was the whole crux of what happened. Lewis put his brakes on so hard that Vettel hit him.”

The incident occurred at the end of a second safety car period during a frenetic race in Baku that was eventually won by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

AP/PA. Pictures: Lewis Hamilton, left, and Sebastian Vettel were at the centre of an on-track bust-up at the Azerbaijan GP, with the British driver eventually finishing fifth and the German taking fourth.