Sebastian Vettel
A not exactly hearty “birthday present” for Sebastian Vettel. After the Spielberg qualifying, the Aston Martin driver was penalized.
The German had finished eighth on the grid on his 34th birthday. But the four-time world champion will tackle the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday from eleventh place on the grid.
The race management had issued a three-place penalty against the Heppenheimer after qualifying. The German drove too slowly and blocked Fernando Alonso. Vettel had apologized immediately, but the Spaniard's lap was destroyed, Alonso failed in 14th in the second qualifying segment.
“We lost a chance of P5 or P6. Regardless of which penalty you pronounce, it will not be enough. Some rules should be completely normal and severely punished if they are disregarded,” said the Spaniard after qualifying, but later relativized: ” He had no free path, could not vanish into thin air. “
Vettel could not understand the excitement meanwhile. “I can't vanish into thin air. I don't know what I should have done differently. Then everyone would have to be punished because everyone was driving slowly,” the Aston Martin driver shook his head.
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, who had also been invited to the stewards, got away with no penalty. The Finn will tackle the race from fifth on the grid.
