Sebastian Vettel after post-race incident with Lance Stroll (Photo: F1)
Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll crash on cool down lap
Racing News
Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll crash following Malaysian Grand Prix
The two F1 drivers were heading back to the pits when the incident occurred. Stroll left some room between his car and the curb. Vettel turned for the corner. Stroll didn’t, he went straight.
Watch the Malaysian Grand prix cool down lap crash video below.
They made contact, both cars broke and were unable to return to the pits.
Vettel jumped on the radio immediately, “It’s not possible.” Vettel continued, “What a bunch of idiots. Would you believe it?”
Lance Stroll carried out an alternative message to his crew at the same time, “Vettel just ran into the side of me.”
Vettel hitched a ride back to the pits. Pascal Wherein saw the car stranded Vettel on the side of the track. He decided to pull over and pickup the hitchhiker. Vettel grabbed his steering wheel and climbed on the car, to get a ride back to the pits.
The incident went under investigation by the FIA. Lance Stroll was called to the stewards after the race. Additionally, there’s a possible fine of $10,000 for failing to leave the steering wheel attached to the car.
Sebastian Vettel finished 4th at the Sepang Circuit. Lance Stroll finished 8th.
Post-Race comments
Sebastian Vettel: “Yeah, very bizarre with the shunt on the in-lap. I don’t know why, I think Lance wasn’t looking. I think he was looking at his wheel,” Vettel told Will Buxton of NBC Sports.
“I gave enough room. But, yeah, we made contact.
Lance Stroll: “I was just shutting off the car to do the in lap. He just came around the outside and kept pushing. Yeah, never happened to me before on an in lap. Weird,” Stroll told Will Buxton of NBC Sports.
Investigation Results
No further action.
“On the approach to Turn 5 during the slow down lap after the end of the race, Car 18 (STR) was towards the middle of the track, Car 8 (GRO) was closing from behind on the inside of Car 18 and at the same time, Car 5 (VET) overtook Car 18 on the outside and in doing so, turned in slightly towards the apex of Turn 5,” read the official FIA report.
“Simultaneously Car 18 was moving slight away from the apex. This resulted in contact between the left rear tyre of Car 5 and the right front tyre of Car 18.”