'You messed up': Sebastian Vettel turns on Ferrari after F1 shocker
Sebastian Vettel has officially had it with Ferrari.
The four-time world champion accused his team of messing up with a strategy that made no sense on Sunday, although the unhappy German did not help his own race by spinning at the first corner and dropping to last.
‘OH MY GOD’: Ricciardo's stunning act after qualifying shocker
‘NOT RACIST’: Ferrari ace explains controversial interview
In a sign that Vettel’s relations with the team are wearing thin following their decision not to keep him on beyond this season, Vettel questioned Ferrari's moves after finishing 12th in the 70th Anniversary race at Silverstone.
After rejoining in traffic from his first pitstop, Vettel informed his team over the radio that “you know that you messed up.”
“We spoke this morning and said there was no point pitting knowing that we will run into traffic - and that's exactly what we did,” he told reporters later.
“We went also onto a hard tyre, which we then only had on for 10 laps, probably not even that, so it didn't make any sense.
“I mean why would you put the hard for 10 laps and put the medium for 20 laps? So I was running out of tyres towards the end, so we spoke about exactly that.”
Ferrari boss rebuffs Sebastian Vettel claim
Vettel had said earlier in the weekend that he had run out of answers to explain why he was having such a hard time with the car.
The German, who won all his titles with Red Bull between 2010-13, has been eclipsed by young Monegasque teammate Charles Leclerc who finished fourth on Sunday by making a one-stop strategy work.
Ferrari's review of the race said, perhaps pointedly, that Leclerc's result was the result of “strategy and bravura”.
“Sebastian's position was the result of his first lap incident,” said team boss Mattia Binotto.
Vettel is 13th in the standings after five races, with 10 points to Leclerc's 45. His best finish this year was sixth in Hungary, and he has been 10th twice.
Verstappen stuns to win at Silverstone
Max Verstappen seized his opportunity at Silverstone on Sunday, ending dominant Mercedes' run of four successive wins this season and moving up to second in the drivers standings - 30 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen's confidence shone through early on, after slotting into third place behind the two Mercedes, when he was told by race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to take care of his tyres.
“Mate, this is the only chance of being close to the Mercedes,” Verstappen replied over the radio.
“I'm not just sitting behind like a grandma.
“I didn't just want to sit behind, like I've been doing at the previous races all the time.
“So once I had the opportunity to put a bit of pressure on, I want to do that... Ihate sitting back, especially when you see that the car is actually pretty decent.
“Sometimes it can be a bit of suicide, killing your tyres, trying to hang on desperately but I don't think that was the case today.”
Mercedes had been expected to cruise to a fifth win from as many rounds this season but both Hamilton and Valterri Bottas struggled with their tyres, finishing second and third.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of Red Bull's Alexander Albon, with Racing Point's Lance Stroll sixth.
After qualifying fifth in his Renault, Australian Daniel Ricciardo had a disappointing day to finish 14th, which included spinning out on lap 31.
with agencies
