Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Recommended for you

NASCAR official explains overtime decisions at Kansas

NASCAR Cup
Kansas
NASCAR official explains overtime decisions at Kansas

2026 F1 Draft: Who would each team take first to start their future?

Formula 1
Miami GP
2026 F1 Draft: Who would each team take first to start their future?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighs in on Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch spat

NASCAR Cup
Kansas
Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighs in on Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch spat

HRC pausing Acura factory GTP program in IMSA after 2026 as part of expanded IndyCar effort

IMSA
Long Beach
HRC pausing Acura factory GTP program in IMSA after 2026 as part of expanded IndyCar effort

The good, the bad and the ugly from Cadillac’s F1 debut

Formula 1
The good, the bad and the ugly from Cadillac’s F1 debut

Shane van Gisbergen to run NASCAR Truck race at Watkins Glen

NASCAR Truck
Watkins Glen
Shane van Gisbergen to run NASCAR Truck race at Watkins Glen

Aprilia explains why it hasn’t tested 850cc bike yet: “We are in no hurry”

MotoGP
Spanish GP
Aprilia explains why it hasn’t tested 850cc bike yet: “We are in no hurry”

Who will replace Max Verstappen as F1’s megastar?

Formula 1
Who will replace Max Verstappen as F1’s megastar?

Press mocks Vettel's 'phantom' gearbox problem

Global Motorsport Media

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing

The international press suspects Red Bull imposed team orders during the season ending Brazilian Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: xpb.cc

The team has already strongly denied the claims, but publications like Spain's Marca suspect Sebastian Vettel pulled over for Mark Webber because of a "phantom problem" with his gearbox.

"Webber gets the loyalty prize," said Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Agreed Corriere della Sera: "Vettel gave Webber the gift of the last crumbs after a huge feast and saved him a trip to the psychologist."

Spain's Diario Sport added: "Nobody believes Vettel really had a problem with the gearbox."

Austria's Der Standard said the team order "made sense", given Webber's mathematical chance of finishing the drivers' championship in second place.

Maybe they forget that team orders can now be issued freely

Stefano Domenicali

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali is quoted as joking to La Stampa: "Maybe they forget that team orders can now be issued freely."

Agreed Fernando Alonso: "I don't care, except to say that they were bothered with certain behaviours when we did them."

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, however, reported that Vettel personally watched when his gearbox was taken apart after the race and confirmed that "there was almost no oil left in it".

Previous article Barrichello happy to settle for small retainer
Next article Virgin refugee d'Ambrosio aiming for 2012 race seat

Top Comments

Latest news