01/11/2016
NEWS STORY
It is understood that the FIA is to investigate Sebastian Vettel's radio meltdown in the final stages of Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix.
While we have grown used to the bleeps that punctuate drivers expressions of frustration over the airwaves; be it with their cars, rivals, blue flags, team strategy or most anything else, Sunday's 'message' from Sebastian Vettel to Race Director Charlie Whiting continues to cause debate.
Angry - read, beside himself with rage and frustration - that no action was being taken after Max Verstappen had cut a corner and gained an advantage, Vettel could no longer contain himself.
As he awaited officials to act and order the youngster to relinquish the position, Vettel instead found himself being backed up by the Dutch driver, forcing the Ferrari into the clutches of his Red Bull teammate.
"Move! Move for *** sake!" he shouted.
"He's a ****, that's what he is."
"I mean, am I the only one or are you not seeing what I'm seeing? He's just backing me off into Ricciardo ****."
When his engineer Riccardo Adami came on the radio to say: "Charlie said that…" Vettel immediately cut in: "Yeah! You know what? Here is the message for Charlie: **** off! Honestly, **** off."
At that point, aware that it was getting out of hand, team boss Maurizio Arrivabene spoke to Vettel: "Sebastian, Sebastian, calm down, calm down," said the Italian. "They are under investigation. I know that it is not fair but calm down. Put your head down and we talk afterwards."
"OK, copy Maurizio," said the German.
In the aftermath, Red Bull was quick to react, Max Verstappen accusing the German of having a potty mouth and needing to go back to school, while Daniel Ricciardo, admitting that the rant was borne of frustration, said his former teammate deserved to be punished, a view shared by his Red Bull team bosses.
It is now understood that the FIA is to investigate whether Vettel, in making his comments, breached the governing body's International Sporting Code.
The possible breaches are Article 12.1.1.c (Any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any Competition or to the interests of motor sport generally) and Article 12.1.1.f (Any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers.)
While Vettel was quick to apologise to Charlie Whiting immediately after the race, it remains to be seen if the FIA will choose to make an example of the German, not only for his rant at a senior official but the growing use of expletive filled radio communications.
Earlier in the season all radio communication was effectively banned, but shortly after the governing body did an about turn.
While in no way condoning Vettel's behaviour the fact is that he radio messages in the final laps of the race were not only understandable, considering that Verstappen was subsequently penalised, but added to the drama in the final laps of what had been a somewhat processional race.
We want our drivers to be human and not the grey, corporate, characterless automatons we have become used to, but then react with horror when they react to such situations as humans do.
On a purely personal level, the editor of this site still chuckles every time he reads Vettel's rant, far less listens to it.
"In the heat of the moment this was a German, speaking to his Italian crew using syntax that was almost perfect London," said editor Balfe. "While there will be concerns about younger fans hearing this, the fact is that this was a race driver reacting in the same way most of us would.
"Had there been radio communications like this in the days of Lauda, Jones or Hunt we would have heard far worse. Let's please not throw the baby out with the bath water... again"