Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

The big British GP chance F1 almost missed

Feature
Formula 1
The big British GP chance F1 almost missed

What Alonso needs from Aston Martin and F1 as career decision looms

Formula 1
Belgian GP
What Alonso needs from Aston Martin and F1 as career decision looms

Why nationality should be 'no factor' as Haas considers Fornaroli and Camara for F1 2027

Feature
Formula 1
Hungarian GP
Why nationality should be 'no factor' as Haas considers Fornaroli and Camara for F1 2027

F1 drivers raise concerns over 'self-learning' power units – what's going on?

Formula 1
Belgian GP
F1 drivers raise concerns over 'self-learning' power units – what's going on?

What is holding back Bagnaia in MotoGP 2026?

MotoGP
What is holding back Bagnaia in MotoGP 2026?

Why the 2026 F1 cars suit Antonelli's driving style more than Russell

Formula 1
Why the 2026 F1 cars suit Antonelli's driving style more than Russell

Hamilton takes "full responsibility" for disappointing Belgian GP

Formula 1
Belgian GP
Hamilton takes "full responsibility" for disappointing Belgian GP

McLaren to finally trial 'Macarena-style' rear wing in Hungarian GP practice

Formula 1
Belgian GP
McLaren to finally trial 'Macarena-style' rear wing in Hungarian GP practice

Vettel: Modern F1 racing rules make drivers sound like lawyers

Sebastian Vettel feels Formula 1 is no longer the sport he grew up enjoying and drivers now sound "like lawyers", following the penalty that cost him Canadian Grand Prix victory

Vettel was deeply disappointed at losing Montreal victory when he was handed a five-second penalty for rejoining the track in an unsafe way and impeding eventual victor Lewis Hamilton having gone off-track briefly at a chicane.

Having calmed down from a post-race radio rant, Vettel said the debate over the incident showed how F1 had changed for the worse.

"I really love the old races, the old cars and old drivers," said Vettel.

"I really love that, but I just wish I, as good as I am doing what I do, was in their time rather than today.

"You just hear the wording when people come on the radio, we sort of have an official language. We should be able to say what we think.

"I disagree with where the sport is now. You have all this wording, 'I gained an advantage, I didn't gain an advantage'.

"All this I think is wrong. It is not really what we should be doing in the car."

Vettel reckoned that fans would view the moment he had with Hamilton as just a racing incident rather than anything that warranted a penalty.

"For me that is racing and a lot of the people that I just mentioned earlier, the old F1 drivers and people in the grandstands agree, this is part of racing," he said.

"But nowadays..I don't like it, we all sound a bit like lawyers using the official language.

"I think it is wrong. It is not the sport I fell in love with when I was watching."

Vettel insisted that he had not deliberately cut across in front of Hamilton as he rejoined the track.

"I was coming back on track and trying to make sure I had the car under control," he said.

"Once I regained control and made sure it was alright, I saw in the mirrors that Lewis was right behind me.

"I don't think I could have done anything different. I don't know what the problem was."

Asked if he could have done any more to avoid cutting in front of Hamilton, he said: "No. How? I've got two hands and I have them on the steering wheel trying to keep the car under control."

Previous article Renault F1 boss: Hulkenberg "upset" by Canadian GP team orders
Next article Why Canadian Grand Prix stewards penalised Sebastian Vettel

Top Comments

Latest news