The Aston Martin drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll have criticised Formula One for putting entertainment before the sport at last season’s controversial and decisive Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The drivers accused the FIA and F1 of poor judgment in the decision-making that cost Lewis Hamilton the title.
Max Verstappen won the championship at Abu Dhabi, having overtaken Hamilton on the final lap after the race director, Michael Masi, intervened and improvised with the rules governing the safety car and lapped cars. It remains a highly contentious decision.
F1 and the teams are known not to want races to end behind the safety car but Stroll and Vettel, speaking at the launch of their new Aston Martin AMR22 car, believed the objective of ensuring a dramatic finale was given greater weight than the integrity of the sport.
“Abu Dhabi was just not right, the rules are the rules,” said Stroll. “When there is a safety car lapped cars get to overtake the safety car and then we go racing. There is nothing that says half the cars can overtake and half have to stay behind. Those things can’t be modified during a race just to put on a show.
“The rules are the rules. You can’t be modifying the rules for entertainment, it has to be sport first. I don’t think it’s right what happened in Abu Dhabi.”
Vettel, a four-time champion, concurred with his disquiet that F1 had lost a sense of perspective in Abu Dhabi but sympathised with Masi and the difficult position he was holding in trying to ensure the GP finished under racing conditions.
“The main thing is that we focus on the sport and not so much on the show,” said Vettel. “The main thing is there is clarity in what’s happening in these sort of situations and there are no questions asked any more.
“For Michael it has been a pity. There are two interests clashing: one is the sport and the other is the show. I don’t care so much about the show because I look at it as a sport and from a competitive point of view. Michael has been very focused and determined to do a good job. I don’t know what is in store for his future but I hope he sticks around because overall he has done a very good job.”
The FIA’s investigation into the events will present its findings to the teams on Monday 14 February.
Aston Martin, under the billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll, have a five-year plan to be challenging for race wins and titles. As well as major investment they have reshuffled their management setup, with their former team principal, Otmar Szafnauer, being replaced by Mike Krack, who has held senior roles with BMW and the Le Mans-winning Porsche team.
