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No further penalty for Vettel from FIA over Hamilton Baku incident

The FIA has decided to take no further action against Sebastian Vettel for his clash with Formula 1 title rival Lewis Hamilton during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Vettel and Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene met with FIA president Jean Todt and other senior figures from motorsport's world governing body on Monday to discuss the collision in Baku.

The Ferrari driver was slapped with a 10-second stop-go penalty during the race for swerving into his Mercedes rival behind the safety car, but the nature of the incident meant the FIA wanted to review the matter further.

A statement from the FIA claimed that after a detailed look at the incident Vettel took full responsibility for what happened and apologised.

As a result of this, and a commitment from the four-time champion to commit personal time to educating young race drivers, the FIA has elected against taking the matter further.

A statement from the FIA said: "In light of these developments, FIA president Jean Todt decided that on this occasion the matter should be closed.

"Nevertheless, in noting the severity of the offence and its potential negative consequences, FIA president Jean Todt made it clear that should there be any repetition of such behaviour, the matter would immediately be referred to the FIA International Tribunal for further investigation."

Despite his offer to help educate young race drivers, Todt has removed Vettel from endorsing any road safety activities until the end of the year.

Todt said: "Top level sport is an intense environment in which tempers can flare.

"However, it is the role of top sportsmen to deal with that pressure calmly and to conduct themselves in a manner that not only respects the regulations of the sport but which befits the elevated status they enjoy."

The FIA's statement on Monday night said it had been worried after Baku about the implications Vettel's actions could have on junior categories.

It said it "remained deeply concerned by the wider implications of the incident, firstly through the impact such behaviour may have on fans and young competitors worldwide and secondly due to the damage such behaviour may cause to the FIA's image and reputation of the sport".

As well as the apology made to the FIA behind closed doors on Monday, a public apology from Vettel is due to be made as well.

To review the incident the FIA pulled together a panel that included FIA deputy president for sport Graham Stoker, FIA general secretary for sport Peter Bayer, F1 race director Charlie Whiting and deputy race director Laurent Meckies.

Had this panel decided that further action was required, then Todt could have called up the FIA International Tribunal to put charges to Vettel.

With no subsequent action taken, Vettel retains his 14-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers' championship.

Ferrari issued its own statement, which read: "Following the meeting that was held today in Paris between FIA representatives and Scuderia Ferrari driver S Vettel, with the purpose of clarifying positions on the incidents occurred at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Scuderia Ferrari notes the driver's apologies and his personal commitments to help the image of the sport.

"Scuderia Ferrari confirms its support to FIA's initiatives, sharing the governing's body values and objectives."

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