Hamilton calls Vettel’s move ‘disrespectful’

As Daniel Ricciardo celebrated winning a hectic Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, 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 and trying to stop Hamilton from 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 seesaw season, Vettel’s Ferrari leads second-place Hamilton’s Mercedes by 14 points — 153 to 139. They have won three races each and — over the first seven races — 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 cham- pionship the right way.”

Ricciardo secured his fifth career win, while Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas overtook 18-yearold Canadian Lance Stroll’s Williams in the closing meters to take second place.

Vettel finished fourth, and Hamilton was fifth.

The safety car came out three times in quick succession before a red flag stopped the race on lap 22 of 51 because debris littered the track.

The Hamilton-Vettel incident occurred shortly before that.

While behind a safety car, Hamilton, who was in the lead, appeared to slow his car right in front of Vettel — causing Vettel to drive into him. An irate Vettel then accelerated alongside Hamilton, gesticulated and moved his car to the right and into him.

Vettel thought Hamilton had slammed the brakes on intentionally, which is known as brake-testing. Hamilton denied that.

“If I get a penalty, then we should both get a penalty,” Vettel 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 him.

The fact Ricciardo won from 10th on the grid, and that Bottas clawed his way back from last after an early incident, summed up one of the most bizarre races for years.

In a rare bright spot for McLaren, Fernando Alonso placed ninth for his team’s first points.

But all the talk was about the Hamilton-Vettel incident with the Austrian GP next.

Vettel said he planned to phone Hamilton before the July 9 race. Maybe he shouldn’t bother. “Firstly, he doesn’t have my number,” Hamilton said. “I do my talking on the track.”