Alonso, Hamilton and Webber would have done the same as Vettel according to Horner
The director of the Red Bull team believes that, in Malaysia, Sebastian Vettel acted as Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, or even Mark Webber would have in a similar situation. The Briton also states that other solutions will likely need to be found to communicate team orders.
Second race of the season, the Malaysian Grand Prix might have already been one of the turning points of the championship after Sebastian Vettel went against the instructions given by his team, contesting the victory with his teammate, Mark Webber.
If the triple world champion German has apologized both to the Australian and to all the members of the Red Bull team, he is nonetheless sharply criticized for his behavior, deemed selfish by some. However, while there are fears that the rivalry between the two teammates could ruin the Austrian team’s season, as was notably the case at McLaren during the tumultuous collaboration between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, the Red Bull leaders claim that the situation is under control: “We need to rebuild mutual trust between the two, but on our side, it’s done,” confided Helmut Marko in the Bild, indicating that the two drivers had shaken hands during the post-race technical briefing.
If the Austrian, the grey eminence of Dietrich Mateschitz, owner of the Red Bull team, indicates having made it clear to Seb that it should not happen again, Christian Horner, the team principal, believes that it will likely be necessary to find new solutions to convey—and enforce—instructions: Multi-21 means that car 2 is ahead of car 1, Multi-12 that car 1 is ahead of car 2. It’s not that difficult to understand, but our drivers, in the last three races, have failed to understand these two messages. I think we are going to abandon this code. We probably need to try something else.
However, questioned by the Brazilian website Totalrace, Christian Horner does not hold a grudge against Sebastian Vettel and believes that the German’s behavior in Malaysia is not unusual for a driver of his caliber: « You don’t win as much as he has by being submissive. If Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton had been in that position, they would have done the same. Mark Webber too. So, let’s not talk about it as if it only concerns Sebastian. »
As a former driver himself, Helmut Marko knows that on the track, those holding the steering wheel often have the final say: “When two alpha males fight wheel to wheel, they no longer listen to the radio,” the Austrian commented the day after the Malaysian Grand Prix. And added: “The situation has become uncontrollable.”
Everyone will also remember that in 2011, at the British Grand Prix, Mark Webber himself disobeyed team orders by challenging Sebastian Vettel for second place. The Australian then stated: « Obviously, I ignored the team because I wanted to gain a position. […] I wasn’t going to collide with anyone. I was just trying my best to get past the guy in front. I just wanted to fight until the end, and I’m sure if the situation had been reversed, it would have been the same. » The Australian was evidently spot on!
