'Political' reasons fueled decision not to punish Vettel - Jos Verstappen

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Jos Verstappen believes the stewards' decision not to punish Sebastian Vettel after Sunday's chaotic start to the Singapore GP was rooted in 'political' reasons.

The German driver undertook an aggressive move to protect his line after the lights went off at the start of the race.

On the rundown to Turn 1 he veered to the left and encountered both Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen who made contact and careered off into the barriers.

The Singapore stewards investigated the incident, taking each driver's testimony into account, but cobcluded that no further action was warranted, a decision which most pundits agreed with.

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Max Verstappen's father believes however that the judgment wasn't entirely an objective one, adn that Vettel deserved to be punished.

" You can hardly blame Max for any of this," said the former F1 driver.

"He [Vettel] does deserve it — I really think he does. But they won’t be too quick to do that, because he already got a warning.

"If they (the FIA) gave him a real punishment, the championship would be over," he said.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.