user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Vettel penalty like 'death for chicken stealing'

Vettel penalty like 'death for chicken stealing'

  • Published on 25 Jul 2012 10:39
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Red Bull has stepped up its attack on the FIA after Sunday's German grand prix. After stewards demoted Sebastian Vettel from second to fifth place for his late-race pass on Jenson Button, Dr Helmut Marko admitted it had left an "aftertaste".

On Monday, he suggested the governing body often applies a "double standard", punishing some for identical infractions and not unnamed others. Speaking on Red Bull-owned Austrian television Servus TV, the energy drink company's motor racing chief said the Vettel penalty was like "the death penalty for stealing chickens".

Jean-Eric Vergne, a rookie selected by Marko for Red Bull's secondary team Toro Rosso, agreed that Vettel only left the circuit because he was forced wide by Button. "In Sebastian's place I would have done exactly the same," the Frenchman said.

Marko also suggested the FIA 'forgot' to warn Red Bull that simply letting Button re-pass could have saved Vettel the much harsher post-race time penalty. "That warning did not come," he revealed.

Some F1 insiders suspect there could be more to the recent 'FIA versus Red Bull' wrangling. In Germany's Bild newspaper, it is noted that "In formula one, it is no secret that Bernie Ecclestone is on Red Bull's side". And the F1 chief executive is "the archenemy of FIA boss Jean Todt".

At present, the sport's most powerful pair are arguing about the vital and lucrative Concorde Agreement. Writing in Der Spiegel newspaper, journalist Ralf Bach also referred to the behind-the-scenes "power struggle", and the fact that Ecclestone runs Red Bull by "remote control".

Vettel has vowed to do his best to give stewards no possible reason to punish him this weekend in Hungary. "I will be careful to do nothing that could jeopardise the result," said the German. (GMM)
F1 News Jenson Button Sebastian Vettel

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
373
2
Ferrari
302
3
McLaren
295
4
Mercedes
221
5
Aston Martin
68
6
Visa Cash App RB
31
7
Haas F1
27
8
Alpine F1
9
9
Williams
4
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

GB Jenson Button 22
Jenson Button
  • Team McLaren
  • Points 37
  • Podiums 0
  • Grand Prix 41
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Jan 19 1980 (44)
  • Place of b. Frome, Somerset, GB
  • Weight 72 kg
  • Length 1.82 m
Show full profile
show sidebar