29/06/2017
NEWS STORY
2009 world champion Jenson Button has urged the sport to move on from last Sunday's controversial incident during the Azerbaijan GP, the Briton suggesting that Sebastian Vettel has been punished enough.
Taking to Twitter this morning, Button, who replaced Fernando Alonso in Monaco last month, wrote: "Azerbaijan GP was a pleasure 2 watch. Why? because adrenaline & emotions were high. What Vettel did was silly but he's been punished. Move on."
F1 racer turned commentator Martin Brundle, in response to Button's tweet, added: "Indeed JB. In a normal race and w/out @LewisHamilton headrest problem that would have been a significant and deserved penalty."
"Agree with you mate," Button replied, “if a driver at racing speed forces another driver off track he would get less punishment than a 10sec drive through."
In response to tweets from fans that the incident was "road rage", Button said: "I don't think you can class it as road rage when it's not on the road!"
Ever since the incident after the second Safety Car re-start debate has raged over whether Vettel deliberately drove into Hamilton who he had accused of brake testing him.
The stewards deemed that barging into the Mercedes was a "potentially dangerous" act and imposed a 10s stop and go penalty, though this wasn't enough for Hamilton who was in radio contact with (race director) Charlie Whiting during the race urging that Vettel's punishment should have been more harsh.
While data proved that Hamilton did not brake test Vettel, the FIA, under instruction from Jean Todt, has announced that it is to further investigate the incident, a move which could see the German further penalised, the Ferrari driver already 'on a warning' following his expletive laden comments aimed at Whiting during last year's Mexican Grand Prix.
In reaction to news of the investigation, Brundle tweeted: "Big decision for FIA if they're going to overrule their own system, processes and Stewards. I know, love and want raw F1 with real warriors."
Neither Ferrari nor Vettel has reacted to the investigation, which would, should the German receive a race ban or exclusion from last Sunday's results, compromise his title bid.