Sebastian Vettel hits out at Italian President Sergio Mattarella suggesting F1 bowed down to 81-year-old’s ego at Italian GP

Sebastian Vettel criticised the aerial fly-bys at the Italian Grand Prix and hits out at the ego of Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

4-time world champion Sebastian Vettel criticised F1 for bowing down to the Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s ego at Monza.

Vettel retired from the race in Monza on the 12th lap. He had taken his career’s first pole position at the same venue in Toro Rosso 14 years ago.

But this year since the German has announced retirement from the sport, he raced at the iconic venue for the last time.

However, he did not leave the track without highlighting his concerns regarding the environment after aerial fly-bys were held pre-race. Over the years, Vettel has strongly advocated the decaying environment around the globe caused due to F1.

Since F1 is pushing to be more climate-friendly with net-zero emissions and environmental awareness, fly-bys were said to have been out of the tradition.

Yet ahead of the race, the Italian tricolour flew past the circuit to mark a grand opening for the race in front of the Tifosi. It was later brought to notice that the fly-bys were performed as per the wish of Italy’s 81-year-old president.

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Sebastian Vettel slams the Italian president’s ego

Furthermore, a lot of debate regarding the circuits on the 2023 calendar had been going around the paddock. Monza is one of the circuits that the authorities are thinking to banish despite its history in F1.

Asked if he hoped Monza would be safe on the calendar, the 4-time champion said, “I hope so, and I hope they stop doing the fly-bys.”

sebastian vettel’s father? i didn’t know you were chill like that🤙 pic.twitter.com/xKo9gjPC5D

— boni (@sapnapF1) September 9, 2022

“I heard the president of Italy was insisting to have the fly-by. I mean, he’s about 100 years old, so maybe it’s difficult for him to let go of these kinds of ego things.”

He stressed that flu-bys were promised to have left the sport but it seems like the president insisting was the only thing required for F1 to give in.