Clashing Ferrari team-mates summoned to Maranello
Ferrari team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc will face the music in Maranello after committing the cardinal sin of taking each other out at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The duo collided on lap 66 of the 71-lap grand prix as they fought over fourth place, both cars suffering race-ending damage.
Difference of opinion at Ferrari
Having been given the freedom to race with third place in the Drivers’ standings up for grabs, Vettel and Leclerc once again hit the self-destruct button in Brazil.
The team-mates squabbled over fourth place with Leclerc passing Vettel only for the German to fight back.
The duo touched with both cars suffering punctures that would put them out of the grand prix.
Leclerc blamed Vettel.
“He went around the outside where there was little space but I did leave him some,” he said.
“Then towards the end of the straight he started to squeeze me a little bit to the inside and we were very close. Everything happened very quick.
“As soon as he went to the inside we touched and then had a puncture.”
Vettel, however, denied putting the squeeze on his team-mate.
“I was going straight,” he told Sky Sports. “At that point I didn’t have much space on the right. I had a better run out of Turn Three and tried to pass.”
Team-mates summoned to Maranello
Team boss Mattia Binotto has ordered both drivers to attend at meeting at the Scuderia’s headquarters in Maranello, but insists it isn’t to apportion blame.
Rather the Italian wants to discuss the crash with his drivers in a “calm” manner.
“We let them fight freely because we had already secured second place in the Constructors’ Championship so they could fight for their own position in the Drivers’,” he explained to Auto Motor und Sport.
“But to fight freely does not mean do stupid things.
“It’s not about putting the blame on one of the drivers but it is important that everyone admits when they have made a mistake – only then you can develop further.
“Now we have to find out exactly what happened. That’s what we do calmly.”
He also warned the team-mates that he’ll be setting out rules in the meeting to ensure they don’t put in a repeat performance in the future.
“This gives us the opportunity to clarify the internal rules again before the upcoming season so that this doesn’t happen again in the future,” he added. “This cannot happen again.”
Tough task facing Binotto
Former Ferrari team boss Ross Brawn feels Binotto is facing a tough challenge trying to calm his drivers.
Although Vettel entered the 2019 championship as Ferrari’s priority driver, Leclerc has proven himself to be quick and up to the challenge.
That means Ferrari is unlikely to go into next season with a clear number one driver.
With Brazil not being Vettel and Leclerc’s first clash of this season, Brawn is not envious of the task that awaits Binotto.
“After tensions flared in the races following the summer break, everything seemed to have calmed down in the Ferrari dressing room,” he said.
“But now, Mattia Binotto faces the tough task of getting things back on track and indeed he said just that in his interviews after the race.
“He had to get stuck in and tell the drivers to face up to their responsibilities, which in Maranello always means putting the interests of the team ahead of those of the individual, which was not the case in the race.”
‘Disillusioned’ Vettel’s days numbered?
Ferrari’s latest drama has again raised questions about Vettel’s place at the team with The Sun reporting that his days are numbered.
The British tabloid claims that Vettel, who was savaged by the Italian press, has grown ‘disillusioned’ with life at Ferrari.
Vettel, who has been dogged by rumours that he is considering quitting Formula 1, has not only lost his qualifying battle against Leclerc but is on course to finish below his Monégasque team-mate in the Drivers’ standings.
With one race win to his team-mate’s two, Vettel has 230 points to Leclerc’s 249.
Paddock sources claim that German is not enjoying life at Ferrari and, while he is likely to continue in 2020, that could be his final season with the Scuderia.
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