Sebastian Vettel is focusing on looking forward and putting the previous few weeks behind him at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg.
It’s been a turbulent few weeks for the German driver, having received a ten-second stop and go penalty in Baku, turned 30, and faced an FIA hearing on Monday to discuss the contact in Baku.
Whilst the hearing decided he was to face no further action, he isn’t completely in the clear.
Not only does the Scuderia Ferrari driver have to face an additional hearing with top FIA representatives including Charlie Whiting, but he now has nine points on his Superlicence. With twelve being the limit before a one-race ban, Vettel will need to quite literally steer clear of any similar infringements this weekend to ensure his title hopes stay alive.
Vettel arrived in Austria having made a full apology (which he chose to make public), and seemed focused on the race weekend ahead: “At the beginning of this week, I went to Paris to speak with the FIA and talk about what happened. Now we are here to move on and focus on the race.
“It is never easy to get everything right and to come out on top. I don’t think this has been a terrible week, but then it depends on what happens for the rest of it…”.
Sebastian Vettel currently leads the Drivers’ Championship, with a 14-point lead over second-place Lewis Hamilton and twelve races remaining.