Sebastian Vettel is under investigation by the stewards after using a marshal’s scooter on track without permission.
Vettelβs car came to a halt on track during practice today with a power unit issue, with the German needing a fire extinguisher as smoke billowed from the car.
At the end of the session, a marshal offered him the scooter, and Vettel rode it back to the pits waving to the crowd.
On his way back, he was waving at some points with both hands and his crash helmet was perched on top of his head.
The four-time world champion was then reported by officials for βentering the track without permissionβ and as a result was called to the stewards for βunauthorised use of a scooter on the track.”
The FIA rules state that no one can enter the track within five minutes of the end of a session, however, there is an exception which says that βdrivers when driving or on foot” can go on the track “having first received permission to do so from a marshal.”
Vettel insisted that he was told he could return to the pits via the track, and speaking after the session said: βObviously, we had a problem, and there was a bit of smoke, and I lost power.
βAnd we had to stop the car on the track. And I did the best I could to limit the damage and get it off the track as soon as possible.
βI tried to make sure the car doesn’t get any further damaged. The marshal was very helpful, he had a Leatherman. I asked for an Allen key then we took part of the bodywork off so I could get underneath and cool the car. So it was a bit of a job.
“I asked, βCan I get back?β, as soon as I knew the car was safe in terms of not catching fire again.
βBut anyway, the session was then over, and I asked, βIs somebody coming?β They said, ‘Yeah, yeah as soon as the session is over.’ And then the guy came with a scooter and he said, βYou can jump on the back.β
βI said, βCan I drive it?β Because I prefer to drive myself. And then he handed me the scooter, so I said, βOK,β and he said, βOff you go.β And I went.
βI mean I would like to get the car back and not to have a problem in the first place. I’m not here to drive a scooter.β
Vettelβs team commenced a power unit change over the break between sessions, but in the end he was not able to take part in FP2.
βIt stopped our running, which was painful, and unfortunately it also cost us the whole session in the afternoon, which is not ideal,β said Vettel.
βI haven’t been in the car for a while. Plus the track is different. It will be fine tomorrow, but it would have been nice to get more laps.β
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