F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Vettel and Raikkonen dismiss 'silly' Mercedes talk of foul play

Sebastian Vettel labeled as "silly" suggestions that Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen had deliberately hit Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap of Sunday's British Grand Prix.

An obviously disappointed Hamilton, who had charged back from last to secure second at the end of the day, qualified as "interesting tactics" Raikkonen's mishap when the Finn locked up at Turn 3 and spun the Mercedes around.

A visibly annoyed Toto Wolff also called into question the move, conveying Mercedes' tech boss James Allison's view that the move was either deliberate or incompetent.

Vettel dismissed the words coming out of the Mercedes camp however.

"Things can happen, but I think it's quite silly to think that anything that happened was deliberate," he said.

"At least I would struggle to be that precise in order to take someone out. In France I lost my wing so I screwed my own race.

"I think it's easy to attack and have a great move, and easy to have an incident. I only saw it briefly, and I don't think there was any intention. I find it a bit unnecessary to even go there."

Raikkonen, the culprit of the mishap, and who owned up to his mistake, was equally dismissive of his rivals' comments.

"Funnily enough you start blaming us for doing it on purpose but I locked the wheel, unfortunately we touched and we both paid the price for it and that's how it goes sometimes," said the Finn.

"It's easy to say after the last couple of races that we're suddenly doing something against them, but we've been hit pretty hard many times also, so that's how it goes, unfortunately."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.

Recent Posts

Magnussen set for NASCAR debut with Trackhouse Racing

Just when it seemed Kevin Magnussen had sampled nearly every corner of top-level motorsport, the…

5 hours ago

Honda pins hopes on Monaco-specific preparation amid troubles

Honda is heading into the Monaco Grand Prix with a targeted plan to desperately improve…

7 hours ago

Gasly and Colapinto on the hunt for more points in Monaco

Alpine head into the Monaco Grand Prix carrying quiet momentum and a sharper sense of…

8 hours ago

The hidden gem of Monaco 1984: A lost F1 phenom

In the collective memory of Formula 1 fans, the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix held on…

9 hours ago

Aston Martin showcases Maaden-inspired livery for Monaco GP

Aston Martin arrives in Monaco this weekend with a fresh coat of paint on its…

11 hours ago

Ben Sulayem reiterates push for V8 return with pointed message

Mohammed Ben Sulayem is not backing away from his vision for Formula 1's future. The…

12 hours ago