Vettel close to taking deliberate engine grid penalty

  • Published on 22 Aug 2014 13:18
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Sebastian Vettel's season could be set to go from bad to worse. The reigning world champion smiled meekly at Spa-Francorchamps when he responded to boss Christian Horner's recent claim that the German is 'tired' in 2014 after consecutive title campaigns. "Not exactly a compliment!" Vettel told German reporters.

But he also said directly comparing his results this year to new Red Bull sensation Daniel Ricciardo is "unfair", given his run of poor reliability. Indeed, with each driver only allowed to run five engines all season, Vettel's fifth Renault V6 is to be fitted to his car at Spa-Francorchamps. "It was always clear that it would catch up with me sooner or later," he is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

More problems could mean that at qualifying-crucial races like Singapore, a ten-place grid penalty for an unscheduled engine change will be highly costly. So might Red Bull opt to voluntarily install Vettel's sixth engine at Monza, where grid position is not so important?

"We need to examine our options for Singapore and Japan, as we definitely don't want to go ten places back there," he admitted. Asked about voluntarily taking a penalty at Monza, Vettel added: "That is hypothetical, but we could most likely live with a penalty." (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Country Australia
  • Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (34)
  • Place of b. Perth, Australia
  • Weight 64 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar