Ecclestone: Flag row a complete joke

29/11/2012

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed the row over whether Sebastian Vettel overtook a rival illegally, and should therefore lose the title, as a complete joke.

Ecclestone, who said before the race that he didn't mind who won, claiming it was "just another race", has waded into the row that sees the sport shooting itself in the foot once again.

“It’s a shame because everything had gone so well,” he told the Telegraph. “It was a super race, a super championship. Now everyone is talking about this. The problem is that no one knows what is going on.

“In the rules and regs normally you have to protest," he continued, referring to Ferrari. “They missed that time. Then there is the fact that a green flag was shown, which nobody seems to dispute.

“It’s a complete joke. What they are saying in that letter is wrong. I don’t think there needs to be any action taken. It’s completely and utterly wrong.”

Just two weeks after the Italian team was at the centre of a storm in Austin when it opted to break a seal on Felipe Massa's gearbox, thereby incurring a penalty that promoted his teammate to the clean side of the grid, a legitimate move but in the eyes of many pushing the sporting envelope to the limit, Ecclestone said the Italian team's latest move was unbecoming.

“Personally I think it’s not really like Ferrari to do this," he said. "I think they badly wanted to win. But if you want to go back and see what Ferrari have done down the years...

“But nothing will happen. What can they do? Take civil action? Maybe. But the case is flawed before it starts. Nothing is going to happen.”