Vettel's lawyers sent letter over 'Multi-21' - Webber

  • Published on 03 Jul 2015 08:16
  • comments 2
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Sebastian Vettel threatened to sue Red Bull over the 'Multi-21' affair of 2013. That is the explosive revelation in Mark Webber's newly-published autobiography Aussie Grit. The Australian this week revealed that the tension between himself and former Red Bull teammate Vettel was so great after the team orders affair of Malaysia that it led directly to his decision to retire.

"(Red Bull) just needed something to change so, you know, I helped that decision for them and left," he told ABC television. On Multi-21, meanwhile, Webber had said Vettel was initially contrite after refusing team orders, privately admitting to Webber: "I fuc*ed up so bad". "I don't know who spoke to him between Malaysia and China but we had a discussion in China and it didn't go well," Webber continued.

Now, it has emerged that in those intervening days, Vettel got his lawyers involved. In his book, Webber wrote that his manager and partner Ann Neal had asked team boss Christian Horner why Vettel was not reprimanded for ignoring the order in Malaysia. "He (Horner) admitted that the team had received a two-page letter from Seb's lawyer a few days after the Malaysian race stating that they were in breach of his contract by giving him an 'unreasonable instruction-team order'," Webber wrote.

Webber has said since retiring from F1 that his relationship with Vettel is no longer acidic. But in his book, the 38-year-old claims it was Vettel's "arrogance" that contributed to their famously tense relationship as teammates. "It seemed the thought of me simply being quicker was not one he could entertain," Webber wrote.

"There always had to be another reason why. Over time, I realised his meltdowns came when he thought he had done enough when in reality he hadn't. To my way of thinking, if you get done fair and square on the day you should take it on the chin, but Seb's arrogance meant he simply couldn't comprehend how it had gone wrong and would take it out on the team or rather want the team to do something about it," he added. (GMM)

Replies (2)

Login to reply
  • khasmir

    Posts: 893

    I respect Webber but what is the point, start another flame war?
    It was not nice what Vettel did but he has gotten a little older and wiser by now so for me it's in the past.

    • + 0
    • Jul 3 2015 - 18:09
  • scf1fan

    Posts: 58

    Ah; I understand now . . . A book to sell! The measure of a driver relative to his teammate is that if you can't consistently beat them, you had better consistently come in second to them. MW had some difficulty with both parts of that. To hold Vettel to such a strict accounting when he was delivering the goods for the team seems to be a bit harsh. Seems like there is enough arrogance to go around.

    • + 0
    • Jul 4 2015 - 09:26

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
-
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 1,480
  • Podiums 56
  • Grand Prix 161
  • Country DE
  • Date of b. Jul 3 1987 (37)
  • Place of b. Heppenheim, DE
  • Weight 62 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile
show sidebar