I overreacted – Vettel apologises to Hamilton for Baku collision
Sebastian Vettel has apologised to Lewis Hamilton for his conduct at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, stating: “In the heat of the action, I over-reacted.”
Vettel received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty in Baku, following two collisions with Hamilton.
The Ferrari driver initially hit the rear of Hamilton’s Mercedes ahead of the second safety car restart and blamed the Brit for brake-testing him. Vettel then reacted by pulling alongside the race leader and banging wheels.
On Monday, following a meeting in Paris, the FIA announced that no further action would be taken against Vettel, who went on to finish fourth in the race and leads Hamilton by 14 points at the top of the world championship standings.
Vettel subsequently issued a statement via his official website, expressing remorse for his behaviour.
“Concerning the incidents of Baku I’d like to explain myself,” wrote the German.
“During the restart lap, I got surprised by Lewis and ran into the back of his car. With hindsight, I don’t believe he had any bad intentions.
“In the heat of the action I then over-reacted, and therefore I want to apologise to Lewis directly, as well as to all the people who were watching the race. I realise that I was not setting a good example.
“I had no intention at any time to put Lewis in danger, but I understand that I caused a dangerous situation. Therefore, I would like to apologise to the FIA. I accept and respect the decisions that were taken at today’s meeting in Paris, as well as the penalty imposed by the stewards in Baku.
“I love this sport and I am determined to represent it in a way that can be an example for future generations.”
Although Vettel will not face further sanctions, the FIA revealed he has committed to “devoting personal time over the next 12 months to educational activities across a variety of FIA championships and events”.
