How do you solve a problem like Vettel?

[hornetrider]

By suspending him, apparently

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21922429

Has Christian Horner's authority been undermined? Do RBR actually give a st about their golden child 'stealing' Webber's win? What would the fallout be if the situation is reversed? Will Webber ever run calmly as Seb's rear gunner again?

[vonuber]

Yes, Redbull should suspend the current WC, Championship leader and their (and the sports) fastest, most successful driver ever.

[Hub]

Is Vettel the problem, or are team orders the problem? He wanted to win, and racing is what us spectators want to see.

I feel sorry for Mark though, and I can see him being pretty unhappy now and/or losing confidence in himself and the team. I can't see what 'punishment' they can do to Vettel as he hasn't done a lot wrong apart from disobeying the team and taking a risk. It could have gone wrong though... now that would have been a lot more interesting!

[RJB_666]

What's that old saying 'violence is the answer'? Webber should get a free punch on him. Just kidding. But no team would suspend their driver when they are in such a good place in the championship. But it's a 'team' problem that could come back to haunt them if it isn't dealt with. A fine would be no good because they have more money than they know what to do with. Perhaps for a month or so Webber gets first choice on upgrades.

[Lynchie999]

vonuber said:

Yes, Redbull should suspend the current WC, Championship leader and their (and the sports) fastest, most successful driver ever.

They should give him a race with the reserves... Torro Rosso...

[Riff Raff]

vonuber said:

Yes, Redbull should suspend the current WC, Championship leader and their (and the sports) fastest, most successful driver ever.

It's a conundrum though, isn't it. Surely Horner has to do something to put Vettel back in his box?

I mean, the next time he ignores an instruction, it might not end as happily. He does have a bit of previous in taking himself and others out when he goes into banzai mode.

As for the fastest ever - well that's a topic for another thread maybe.

[Funk]

If a racing driver doesn't set out to win at every opportunity, he's not a real racing driver.

Team orders are daft. We want races and WDCs decided by who's the fastest, the best, the most driven - not by a management team.

F1 has restricted the actual 'racing' so much it's a joke. What other motorsports have such blatant team orders?

[joema]

Reb bull should have never issued team orders, Vettel was quicker, should have just let him go.

[Dr Z]

Throw a can of Red Bull at him?

[MitchT]

As people I like Mark Webber and am a whole lot less keen on Sebastian Vettel but, even I have to concede that of the two, Vettel is more likely to win the championship. Had he been catching any other car in the closing laps he'd have battled his way past with no such fallout - it's only 'cause it was his team mate that it was an issue. In the post-race coverage he was described as ruthless. Can anyone name a multiple world champion who wasn't ruthless? For someone to have the level of focus and to be so zoned-out as to be able to achieve so much, so consistently, at that level, it's likely that the notion of holding position simply doesn't register. Even if you hear the instruction and acknowledge it, going against the very grain of what you are in order to obey said instruction is probably no more feasible than jumping off a cliff if someone asked you to. Obviously he needs to have respect for the team, and there's a delicate balance which needs to be identified and found here, but I don't know how. I'm not saying I support what he did, but I can understand why he did it.

ETA: And this...

Funk said:

If a racing driver doesn't set out to win at every opportunity, he's not a real racing driver.

Team orders are daft. We want races and WDCs decided by who's the fastest, the best, the most driven - not by a management team.

F1 has restricted the actual 'racing' so much it's a joke. What other motorsports have such blatant team orders?

And this...

joema said:

Reb bull should have never issued team orders, Vettel was quicker, should have just let him go.

Edited by MitchT on Monday 25th March 12:53

[vonuber]

Riff Raff said:

As for the fastest ever - well that's a topic for another thread maybe.

Sorry, I meant RedBull's fastest ever, not the sports.

[RJB_666]

Funk said:

If a racing driver doesn't set out to win at every opportunity, he's not a real racing driver.

Team orders are daft. We want races and WDCs decided by who's the fastest, the best, the most driven - not by a management team.

F1 has restricted the actual 'racing' so much it's a joke. What other motorsports have such blatant team orders?

I agree that team orders should be scrapped. It's not racing. But my opinion on what Vettel did is similar to two people fighting. It's as if they were told to put there hands behind their backs and one of them did but one didn't and decided to through a punch at someone with no defense. Both were told to turn their engines down. But one held an unfair advantage to take the win.

[Durzel]

Funk said:

If a racing driver doesn't set out to win at every opportunity, he's not a real racing driver.

+1

I don't consider myself a fan of Vettel, but asking him to be a nice guy when ruthless ambition is what wins races in F1 is stupid. Neutering him would achieve nothing except relegate him to the middle of the pack and promote Alonso, Hamilton and co - who are of course pillars of virtue and selfless behaviour.

[37chevy]

joema said:

Reb bull should have never issued team orders, Vettel was quicker, should have just let him go.

Vettel was quicker because mark had already turned his engine down as e was told

Sheer petulance from fingers, acted like a spoilt child, he made the mistake earlier in the race by being on the wrong tyres and spat his dummy out when he was loosing

[Megaflow]

Dr Z said:

Throw a can of Red Bull at him?

[37chevy]

Megaflow said:

Make him do the red bull flu-tang without a glider

[Animal]

The primary driver (no pun intended!) should be team success. All that's going to happen IMO is that Seb will get a roasting behind closed doors and Horner will apologise to Webber and promise him it won't happen again.

Red Bull can't afford to have a de-motivated Vettel.

I'm certain though that I don't want to see team orders next time to the effect that Seb has to give up a place to Mark - I want honest racing, not manipulated results.

And I want to see Seb turn up with a monstrous shiner and a fat lip...

[37chevy]

Animal said:

The primary driver (no pun intended!) should be team success. All that's going to happen IMO is that Seb will get a roasting behind closed doors and Horner will apologise to Webber and promise him it won't happen again.

Red Bull can't afford to have a de-motivated Vettel.

I'm certain though that I don't want to see team orders next time to the effect that Seb has to give up a place to Mark - I want honest racing, not manipulated results.

And I want to see Seb turn up with a monstrous shiner and a fat lip...

I'd rather see his wobbly lip when he gets beaten next time

[Riff Raff]

Animal said:

Red Bull can't afford to have a de-motivated Vettel.

And I want to see Seb turn up with a monstrous shiner and a fat lip...

The thing is, they need a motivated Webber too, to make sure they win the Constructor's championship.

As for physical damage, maybe Webber or Horner could just break that really annoying finger..........

[37chevy]

Riff Raff said:

The thing is, they need a motivated Webber too, to make sure they win the Constructor's championship.

As for physical damage, maybe Webber or Horner could just break that really annoying finger..........

Exactly, and lets face it, webber could be a wing man for vettel in the last race, I'd love to see vettels face when mark lets alonso past to win the championship