Vettel, big beneficiary of the day, new leader of the championship

If there is one man to benefit from the multiple events of the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday evening, it is Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari). The four-time world champion Formula 1 managed to restore a poorly established situation after a three-place grid penalty for blocking Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault).

Starting from sixth place instead of third, the German driver started his race with a scare. “I tried to catch up at the start but at the first corner it didn't really work. I had no place to go, I lost the rhythm. And it was the same thing at turn 3. I had to fight with the Renaults and Haas, it cost me time », he recalls.

Sebastian Vettel was finally able to catch up with the leading group after a few laps. And at the moment when the leader Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) was making his staggered pit stop, the Scuderia driver found himself with opponent number 1 in his sights. “The pace was excellent. Of course II lost a little time with a two-pit-stop strategy, but it was the right option. »

The two men then engaged in a rough exchange of arms, while remaining in the fair play worthy of great pilots:

At the end of the race, Sebastian Vettel came within just a second of his teammate Kimi Räikkönen for second place. But, unlike the 2001 and 2002 editions, Ferrari did not communicate any team order and, despite its advantageous position in the Drivers' standings, Sebastian Vettel did not receive help.

“For us, this race was all about damage control. It’s a positive day, we could have done better but the pace and the tire degradation were satisfactory”, slips the person concerned, who takes over the head of the general for a small point on Lewis Hamilton, forced to retire.

Discover the full report and analysis of the Austrian Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Spielberg, in issue 2172 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.