Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton in F1 crash row
Written by News on 27/06/2017
Sebastian Vettel has been penalised for deliberately driving into Lewis Hamilton during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The German driver, a four-time Formula One world champion, accused Hamilton of deliberately slowing down in front of him while the Briton was leading the race in Baku.
The incident happened when the pair were driving slowly behind the safety car, following a series of unrelated crashes involving other cars.
Hamilton’s Mercedes appeared to slow down coming out of a corner and Vettel’s Ferrari ran in the back of him. On his team radio Vettel angrily accused the Briton of "brake-testing him".
Moments later Vettel pulled alongside Hamilton and appeared to deliberately swerve in to him, their two cars smashing wheels.
Vettel was penalised by the race stewards.
He eventually finished 4th, one place ahead of Hamilton whose race was harmed by a subsequent unrelated car problem.
After the race Vettel told reporters: "Nothing happened, did it? He brake checked me as well, so what do you expert?"
But Hamilton said: "I think it’s just not driver conduct. It’s dangerous driving and to get a 10-second penalty for that… I don’t need to say anything else."
The pair are the two most successful drivers currently racing in F1, having won seven world championships and more than 100 grand prix between them.
Although they have both been racing in F1 since 2007 this is the first year in which they have both had competitive cars.
Vettel currently leads Hamilton by 14 points in the world championship.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was won by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, his first race victory of the year.
(c) Sky News 2017: Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton in F1 crash row
