Belgian GP: Vettel says sorry for crashing into Button

Belgian GP: Vettel says sorry for crashing into ButtonWhat a race the Belgian GP was! Unpredictable weather, safety car, accidents – you name it, Spa had it. One of the more memorable moments of the race was when Sebastian Vettel took Jenson Button out when battling for second place.

The young German was quicker than Button on lap 16 and tried to make a move into the final chicane. He closed up to the McLaren and pulled out dramatically, only to lose control and spear Jenson from the side. The defending champion retired as Vettel pulled into the pits to replace his front wing. He was later given a drive through penalty.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh was understandably mad. “It was not what you would expect to see in F1 – more reminiscent of junior formulae. A drive-through seemed a pretty light punishment to me. I would rather he did it with his team-mates rather than do it with us,” he said after the race.

The man at fault raised his hands. “First of all, I’m sorry. Obviously it was not my intention to destroy his race or mine,” Vettel told the media. “I was close, I was faster than him. The moment Robert got close behind I knew that he could pass us on the straight because we are not the fastest on the straight. I was very close a couple of times, unfortunately never really close enough.

“I tried to out-brake him on the outside. When I changed from the inside to the outside, I lost the car under braking on the bump and then I then I couldn’t really control it anymore and unfortunately crashed into him,” the Red Bull man explained.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • shawal on Aug 30, 2010 at 4:15 am

    Ppl dubbed him as the next ‘schumacher’ of coz he’ll start crashing into everyone , hehehehehehe

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  • mystvearn on Aug 30, 2010 at 6:03 am

    Maybe the next Montoya?? :P

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  • bohtakchek on Aug 30, 2010 at 7:57 am

    similar to stupid driver we have here on our road … because of their mistakes, other driver suffer when kena langgar, just because they can’t brake in time!! i tell you the younger driver nowadays, especially those women driver … they are a lot less skillful compare to last generation of women driver!!! … the driving school didn’t give them enough hour on the road ka apa…. the younger male pula, very gunho … though they drive dangerously zip zap with just a saga (*goodness sake), at least their skills ok. langgar also langgar tiang ka, pokok ka during corner… but this 1990s lady driver, straight line also can langgar other car!! WTF !!… then come out say no money no money, WTF!! no skills dun drive so fast la….!! WTF!! and i believe this is what Button is thinking now… WTF!! lost the race buta buta !! … and drive thru penalty, might as well penalty ; And lose point to the one who is innocent la… (*ala civil lawsuit here la)… like that baru SHIOK to watch ma… schumaker was one prick la!! just the ferrari make damn good car onli. lousy driver seriously…

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    • you know why all the young drivers are stupid nowadays? its because driving schools r offering them gerenti lulus…. it means that u bribe the jpj just to pass…

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      • squawk on Aug 30, 2010 at 9:30 am

        And they come out driving auto trans which dumbs them down even further. No need to think of control, just tekan.

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        • paragon on Aug 30, 2010 at 1:47 pm

          agreed. due to the rising of this new kind of unqualified drivers on the road nowadays, other drivers have to acquire another road skill, which is, the ability to recognize the presence of those unqualified drivers around us. Failing to do so will pose a great unavoidable danger to us no matter how safely we drive.

          When they’re around we just have take the extra effort to expect the ‘unexpected’ and surprise move from them, it’s very frustrating.

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          • psychic power is a must have road skill if you were to drive in malaysia…. if u dont have psychic power, u’ll never know when the drivers around you going to turn without using the indicator light..

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          • aksMs on Sep 01, 2010 at 7:14 am

            Actually this is a reply to 525i. Talking about indicator light, I once saw an uncle (who drive an Accord) crash onto the side of a Myvi. It turns out that the BIMBO who drive the Myvi suddenly turn left. You know what that uncle did? He open the BIMBO’s door and break the indicator stalk. All this happen without a single word. Serves her right! I wish he could’ve bitchslap her.

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    • This is normal in F1 regardless if it is intentioned or not. These guys knife through every bit of corners and straight there is and for certain there is bound to be accidents. Comparing them to road n00bs are unjust (hey, they are paid to do so if they need to do so.. see the defamed ex-renault driver piquet.). If you can’t accept it, stop watching. Learn some respect while commenting bout schumacher. Although he is only half a man he was before, he’s still good. Mind that when ferrari had a terrible car just before he retired, he still pulled out a feat driving that car to podium.

      Apart from that, there are really noobish drivers on the road, just saw 2 cars langgar each other on reverse. How can they do so when their cars are equipped with reverse sensors..

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  • gellardo on Aug 30, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    girls, womens nowdays can also categorized as a road bully. drive too fast and thinking that her car so powerfull just like ferrari.

    but in vettel case, his car really fast but just not enough experience in wet condition. sorry for button.

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  • hehe..funny la fiz fella..but this way better than colliding with teammates (webber) ;) teammate done, his rival done, and now im waiting for him to whack the safety car…hahahahhahah

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  • mclaren fans on Aug 30, 2010 at 6:30 pm

    “I was close, I was faster than him. ”
    faster than somebody else can do whatever u want…hey! if i m not wrong, u had also said like that in last time u had crash with webber…

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  • mata katak on Aug 30, 2010 at 8:16 pm

    Biasa la…..in racing, accidents are “standard” incident…….It’s only a question of who is involved and when it will happen.

    Accidents happened since the dawn of F1….

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  • ktas09 on Aug 31, 2010 at 9:39 am

    Vettel don’t have enough patient just like MSchumacher. Just think of himself.
    Hope FIA slap him with 10 place penalty in the next race.

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  • jay8393 on Aug 31, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Padan muka that Vettel kena a drive-through penalty! :D But seriously, I think Whitmarsh’s comment were a bit too harsh.

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