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Ecclestone says Ferrari case against Vettel is a joke

Date: November 30 2012

Tom Cary

Bernie Ecclestone has described the furore over Sebastian Vettel's alleged infringement at the Brazilian Grand Prix last Sunday as "a complete joke", predicting that it would come to nothing and adding that it was unbecoming of Ferrari to make an issue of the incident after the event.

On-board footage from Vettel's car on lap four of the race clearly shows the Red Bull driver passing Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso before the green flashing light indicating the end of a yellow-flag zone, which is prohibited. But the grainy video also appears to suggest there is a marshal at his post waving a green flag about 150 metres before the green flashing light.


Ferrari appear to dispute that interpretation and sent a letter to the governing body on Thursday requesting clarification, to which they are still awaiting a response. The deadline to lodge any appeal expires today. If Vettel is found guilty of an offence it could see him incur a time penalty, which might hand the title to Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Ecclestone said it was disappointing that the exciting denouement to the championship was now being overshadowed by the row. "It's a shame because every-thing had gone so well," Formula One's chief executive told The Telegraph. "It was a super race, a super championship. Now everyone is talking about this. The problem is that no one knows what is going on."


The Telegraph, London


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