Vettel probe over Hamilton collision

Sebastian Vettel is under investigation by F1’s governing body after he deliberately collided with title rival Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Four-time champion Vettel was punished with a 10-second stop-and go penalty during the chaotic race after he banged wheels with Hamilton during a second safety car period.

Vettel, 29, faced accusations of bringing the sport into disrepute and the FIA said they will determine whether they now need to take any further action against the sport’s championship leader.

Vettel could be fined, penalised with a grid drop, or even hit with a race ban should the FIA decide to discipline the German.

The sporting federation revealed that the investigation will take place on Monday, six days before the next round of the championship in Austria.

Vettel, believing that Hamilton had deliberately brake-tested him during one of three safety car periods in Baku, drove alongside his rival and slammed into him.

However, telemetry from Hamilton’s Mercedes proved that the 32-year-old Englishman had not been acting in an unusual manner prior to the first collision.

Vettel was already walking a disciplinary tightrope after he was hit with three points on his F1 licence on Sunday night, taking his tally to nine following the incident on lap 19 of the Azerbaijan race.