Vettel last lap 'pass' on Sutil

[Mr.Jingles]

Haven't seen this mentioned yet.... anyone think the way Vettel forced (barged?) his way through was more deserving of a penalty than, say, the Alonso one?

I can't find any video online of it, but it wasn't exactly subtle - not much made of it in the BBC commetary box but there are a few online comments from Sutil and Autosport have picked it up:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85228

[Sodemo]

I agree, it was out of order and if I were Sutil, I would be well miffed about it.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Yeh I have to say, it did look like a case of 'do-or-die' as it was the final/penultimate lap. Slightly unfair.

Selby

[steve_r]

I have not seen a replay yet, but my thoughts at the time were that it was more akin to a BTCC "pass" than an F1 "pass", but probably not worthy of a stewards enquiry or penalty.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Yeh that's exactly it. It was rough, but no rougher than some of the other unpunished rough passes earlier in the race.

Selby

[Mr.Jingles]

Pulling off a pass like that in the BTCC is bad enough (who really wants to be replacing panels after every race?, besides the obvious issue of winning by leaning which is just cheap) - in open wheelers that can end up in someone getting rolled/airbourne/run over.

This wasn't even leaning, he positively barged him off line by a foot or two by driving right at him.....

[Super Hans]

A clumsy pass but it got the job done, I guess. Whilst I rate Vettel highly, one of his weakest points seems to be overtaking.

[Urgentemente]

I was really hoping Sutil would manage to hold the place until the end, having done a pretty good job of keeping Vettel at bay for the previous laps. Let's just say I wouldn't have been sympathetic if Vettel had ended up off track with that move. I feel sorry for Sutil who'd been playing it fair as far as I could see, no double moves etc, just good defending.

[Birddog07]

I think it looked worse than it really was. All I really got out of it was a good aggressive pass where Vettel wasn't scared to bang wheels.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Birddog07

I think it looked worse than it really was. All I really got out of it was a good aggressive pass where Vettel wasn't scared to bang wheels.

it was a cheap shot; if you can't get by without banging wheels then you should stay put, it's a non-contact sport. However you 'interpret' the rules, it's still a non-contact sport and either should be enforced as such at all levels, OR split the professional away from the amateur.

[Daimlerman]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

it was a cheap shot; if you can't get by without banging wheels then you should stay put, it's a non-contact sport. However you 'interpret' the rules, it's still a non-contact sport and either should be enforced as such at all levels, OR split the professional away from the amateur.

[Born Racer]

Having seen it a couple of times, it looks ruder than I initially thought because Vettel appeared to know what he was doing, positioning himself to the right to give himself something of an ideal radius into the corner, but he sort of barged into Sutil like that. The benefit of the doubt side would say that he may have thought Sutil would know he was there and/or see him.

Not a terribly bad move, although a bit rash and British Bumper Car Championship-style which I never like to see.

[GORDON STREETER]

It looked like a Wimbledon Stadium move to me, don't forget he tried it on his team mate the other week and lost !!!!!

[strider]

So Pettel was getting petulant...

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by strider

So Pettel was getting petulant...

Pettel, I'm liking that. He's got some nasty thorns too

[deeks6]

Classis "bump and run" ... when VetTOOL gets to NASCAR he should do much better ROFL

[Armco Bender]

You want overtaking,you got overtaking.

[PabloTeK]

When did F1 become the British Touring Car Crash? I like overtaking but ploughing into someone in F1 is just not cricket! I can sort of understand it in NASCAR and touring cars where tin tops are pretty much designed for it.

Least Red Bull didn't give either of them wings.

[Woolley]

It had a touch of the hooligan, but it wasn't a blatent punt up the back. The cars were fairly side by side when the collision occurred, although I'm not convinced Vettel was getting round the corner without assistance...

[pannenmann]

It wasn't excatly a nice move, but we've seen other drivers (and Vettel of course) pulling off much more agressive and forced overtakes.

[Iron Ripper]

It was dangerous move. It reminded of what Coulthard was trying to do to Wurz in 07, without the consequences. It was a late and desperate charge ignoring Sutil's taken line which unfortunately this time played into Vettel's hands.

[JHamilton]

It was fine. Sutil was blocking, Vettel found a way by, and they both continued on. No harm, no foul.

[Woolley]

I'd say defending rather than blocking. Not completely clear to see on tv, but he seemed to choose a line and stick to it, just leaving Vettel with not enough room to do the job. Eventually left half a gap on the last time through and Vettel went for it. Good for him, I'd say, although a bit rougher than necessary, equally once Sutil had lost the corner he might have backed off a little bit and avoided the collision (and if he had done, Vettel might not have stayed in front/on the track anyway).

Two hard racers racing hard. Lacked finesse, sure, but thank goodness for someone actually having a go.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

It was fine. Sutil was blocking, Vettel found a way by, and they both continued on. No harm, no foul.

I tend to agree. And it was the last lap.

[Chatters]

Fine him $100,000,000.