Vettel risks grid penalty after national anthem breach!

Sebastian Vettel has another problem to worry about after he was reprimanded for not attending the national anthem proceedings before the start of the Japanese GP.

As panicked struck the Ferrari camp on the grid following a sudden engine issue, Vettel chose to remain with his team rather than join the drivers at the front for the traditional national anthem ceremony.

The decision prompted an investigation by the stewards who concluded that the Ferrari driver's absence at the front was a clear breach of the sporting rules.

Vettel was subsequently handed a reprimand which, added to a previous driving infringement received at Monaco earlier this year, puts him at risk of a grid penalty if he is hit with a third reprimand in the next four races.

• Vettel title hopes dealt major blow in Japan!

Article 18.2 of F1’s Sporting Regulations states the following:

"Any driver who receives three reprimands in the same championship season will, upon the imposition of the third, be given a ten grid place penalty at that Event.

"If the third reprimand is imposed following an Incident during a race the ten grid place penalty will be applied at the driver’s next Event.

"The ten grid place penalty will only be imposed if at least two of the reprimands were imposed for a driving infringement."

Sebastian Vettel's propensity to complicate matters for himself continues...

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