Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel hit with suspended €25,000 FIA fine after drivers' meeting
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Published 09/07/2022 at 18:05 GMT
Aston Martin's German driver Sebastian Vettel, a former Formula One world champion, had endured a difficult 2022 campaign already but things got worse on Saturday when the FIA hit him with a €25,000 fine. The suspended punishment was due to his behaviour at a drivers' meeting on Friday when he was said to be upset about times being deleted for exceeding track limits.
Sebastian Vettel
Image credit: Getty Images
Sebastian Vettel was issued with a suspended €25,000 fine after he prematurely left a drivers’ meeting on Friday.
The German, a four-time world champion, was summoned by race stewards on Saturday evening where he was accused of breaking Article 12.2.1.1.f of the International SPorting Codes.
That states that: “Any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA.”
The stewards decided that Vettel had broken the rule and he was given a fine of 25,000 euros, which was suspended.
The FIA statement read: “The driver, Sebastian Vettel, left the drivers’ meeting that was held at 19:30 on Friday 8 July without permission and expressing frustration at the meeting.
“Drivers are not free to leave when they want, this being a breach of the requirement to attend.
“Drivers at this level are role models for every driver around the world and in the opinion of the Stewards, Vettel failed to live up to that standard in this case.
“Subsequently, Vettel had a meeting with the Race Director, who informed the Stewards that Vettel had apologised without reservation and that further they had a very constructive conversation covering the topics in the meeting and more.
“The Stewards determine there is a breach, which cannot go without penalty, but that based on the report from the Race Director there are factors in mitigation.
“Therefore, the Stewards order a fine of €25,000, suspended for the remainder of the 2022 season, subject to any breach of Article 20.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations or of Article 12.2.1 f) of the International Sporting Code.”
Vettel was knocked out of Q1 on Friday’s qualifying after having his fastest lap struck off due to exceeding track limits, which affected a number of drivers at the Austrian Grand Prix.
He was then asked to come into the pit on his final lap in the Sprint race, and will start on the back row for Sunday’s race proper.
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