Rumours say Vettel is having family problems
Oct.25 - Sebastian Vettel's end-of-season slump may be due to "family problems".
That is the claim of the Italian broadcaster Sky, as the German driver's championship rival Lewis Hamilton stands on the cusp of wrapping up the title in Mexico.
Ferrari and Vettel looked the favourites for 2018 spoils earlier this year, leaving many scratching their heads about the reason for the more recent slump.
Referring to the supposed 'family problems', a source at Sky Italia said: "We can't say anything more because it's his private business."
However, a more credible reason for the fluctuating balance of power at the top of F1 this year is technical.
Mercedes and Ferrari have been trading insinuations of illegality, including with regards to Ferrari's 'hybrid' system battery.
But the latest fingers of doubt have been pointed by Ferrari, regarding the 'holes' in the wheel rims of the Mercedes car.
So seriously was Ferrari taking the matter in the days before the US grand prix that Mattia Binotto's team reportedly prepared a formal protest to lodge after the chequered flag in Austin.
According to Brazil's Globo, Mercedes got wind of the protest threat and filled the holes in with silicon.
It could explain why Ferrari was suddenly back on Mercedes' pace in Austin.
"We have a battle on our hands and we will have to keep pushing to win both titles," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff ahead of the Mexican grand prix.
Hamilton needs only a seventh place in Mexico to secure his fifth drivers' world championship.
"It has been one of the weaker tracks for us in previous years and we expect a hard fight," Wolff insisted.
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FFS Leave the lad alone! Criticise and praise the driving when it's called for but leave his personal life out of the newsprint. I hope he wins in Mexico and it gives him a bounce back.
I'm sorry but seb gets a fine and a reprimand for his weighbridge incident but Hamilton gets away with dawdling around interlagos causing kimi to swerve around him then he nearly takes sirotkin out and the stewards don't think the incidents are worthy of even a mention. Come on people if that had been any other driver he would have received some sort of penalty, but not lewis, its a joke
Totally agree
Well said and totally agreed.
As a pensioner I can't afford sky to watch f1 next season and I'm sad that channel 4s coverage has been reduced to showing race highlights but there is one thing I'm not sad about. I won't have to suffer the lewis Hamilton "love in" that has been a feature of the 2118 season from mssrs Coulthard, Webber and the rest of the channel 4 team
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