How Baku events changed Vettel and Hamilton's F1 2017 title battle
The 2017 Formula 1 championship battle between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton had been unusually cordial prior to Baku, but their collision was not the only reason that changed


As teams arrived in Azerbaijan, word leaked out of a fresh technical directive issued by the FIA regarding the season-long talking point of burning oil as fuel.
Amid suspicions that the FIA had found or been alerted to something a team was doing, F1's technical department reminded the paddock it would deem any attempt to use 'additional components or substances in oil for the purpose of enhancing combustion' a breach of the rules.
Such moves from the FIA never come without good reason, and there were rumours Mercedes had queried areas where it suspected Ferrari may have been doing some clever tricks involving its auxiliary oil tank.
Was this the revenge for Ferrari having got suspension systems that Mercedes and Red Bull were planning on running this year banned on the eve of the campaign?
Mercedes stayed tight-lipped, and Ferrari strongly denied that it had been doing anything illegal or needed to change anything in light of the latest FIA stance.

With the oil burn issue bubbling away in the background, and the Hamilton/Vettel clash erupting so publicly, it is clear there will be a different tone to the championship battle from the next race in Austria.
But Mercedes' head of motorsport Toto Wolff insists the relationship with Ferrari will not completely fall apart.
"Of course, we have great respect for Ferrari," he said.
"For me, the analogy is with rugby.
"During the race they are our enemies and they wouldn't take any prisoners.
"We must be capable, when the race is done, of having a beer like rugby players and acknowledging somebody's performance and acknowledging that we are all warriors and fierce competitors out there.
"Nevertheless we are racing on a giant platform that somehow unites us."
But as the stakes raise ever higher, it is hard to imagine that the tensions will not escalate further - especially with the performance between the two teams being so close.
It will also be fascinating to see if Ferrari continues its self-imposed media blackout of team figures, which has left Mercedes able to set the public agenda and keep control of stories.
The prospect of Mercedes/Ferrari tensions escalating is also good news for Red Bull, with Daniel Ricciardo benefiting with his Baku win.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner called the change of dynamic "inevitable".
"They're fighting for a world championship, so for sure this is only going to have elevated that intensity of the battle between the two of them," he said.
"And of course there's been technical directives about auxiliary [tanks], fuels and oils and so on, which one can only assume is crossfire.
"And if that helps to bring us into a more competitive position, then...
"I think we can play a significant role in this championship, particularly when we move into the second half of the year."

Force India F1 team makes first moves towards new name Force One
Will F1 make an example of Vettel like Schumacher?

Latest news
NASCAR bans Chastain Martinsville wall-ride manoeuvre
NASCAR has decided to ban the wall-ride manoeuvre made famous by Ross Chastain at Martinsville that secured him a place in the Championship 4.
Gasly: Mindset for Alpine is "completely different" to Red Bull F1 move
Pierre Gasly says he has a "completely different" mindset for his Alpine Formula 1 move thanks to lessons taken from his failed stint at Red Bull in 2019.
GTD Pro win a “proper send-off” for retiring IMSA stalwart MacNeil
Winning the GTD Pro class at the Daytona 24 Hours was a fitting way for Cooper MacNeil to retire from racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, says team-mate Jules Gounon.
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.