F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Vettel no fan of 'selfie guy' and 'shitty trophies' on F1 podium

X (Twitter)X (Twitter)
FacebookFacebook
WhatsappWhatsapp

Sebastian Vettel is no fan of selfie seeking mascots and shitty trophies when it comes to the Formula 1 podium as the German demonstrated after Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix.

The race's organisers premiered a new winner's celebration that featured a lift that elevated Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes on to the podium platform at the Foro Sol stadium.

Vettel had no complaints about the folkloric local festivities but snubbed a photo opportunity with the event's mascot 'Mario Achi', pushing the character away as it sought a selfie with the Ferrari driver.

Sunday's runner-up also criticsed, as he's done before, the trophy handed out to the top 3, reiterating his call for less "boring" designs of the pieces of silverware.

"I think it was cool," Vettel said of the podium. "I didn't like the selfie guy when he tried to push into the picture so I pushed him away! I'm not big into selfies anyway.

"It was nice, to elevate the car as well is really cool. It's a very nice way to do it to involve the whole stadium and the crowd.

"I liked most of it except the selfie guy and the trophies. It's a shame. You have such a great race and they put so much effort into the race and then you get this shitty trophies that look boring."

Vettel's main complaint regarding the event's memento is its sponsor-based conception, the German suggesting perhaps something less corporate in the future.

"We could have for the future maybe something nice, traditional Mexican, because it's a bit of a shame," said Vettel.

"There's Heineken written everywhere! You don't need to have the fricking star on the trophy as well.

"Get something nice like they had when F1 used to race here before we came back!"

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

Hadjar eyes first F1 points after sensational qualifying in Shanghai

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar is brimming with optimism, convinced that his first Formula 1…

5 hours ago

Leclerc: Qualifying performance reflects Ferrari’s ‘true pace’

Charles Leclerc offered a rather sobering assessment of Ferrari’s current performance level after a challenging…

6 hours ago

Chinese GP: Saturday's action in pictures

Saturday was a day of firsts at the Chinese GP in Shanghai, with Lewis Hamilton…

7 hours ago

Lawson’s confidence crisis deepens: ‘I don’t really have time’

Liam Lawson is finding himself at the center of an intensifying storm as mounting pressure…

9 hours ago

Verstappen sounds alarm as Red Bull trails rivals in Shanghai

Max Verstappen’s Shanghai weekend has sparked concerns at Red Bull Racing, with the four-time champion…

10 hours ago

Hamilton working on ‘master plan’ for Shanghai win

Lewis Hamilton’s debut Ferrari victory in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint event on Saturday hinted…

10 hours ago