Robert Kubica released from hospital at last

Robert Kubica has been discharged from hospital in Italy where he has been recovering for the past two months – 76 days to be exact – after his horror accident in the Ronde di Andora Rally in Italy.

IVG.it reported that an official announcement was made late Saturday night regarding Kubica’s discharge, “Robert Kubica is no longer the Hospital Santa Corona in Pietra Ligure.”

The Renault F1 driver had several operations since the accident, enjoying a rapid and remarkable recovery according to doctors.

The statement added, “His condition is good and the [F1] driver will begin a new phase of rehabilitation outside of the ‘hospital. Appointments are expected with the doctors who have treated and will continue to monitor the driver.”

Last week Kubica, speaking in an official capacity for the first time, said, “I am starting to feel a lot better now. My recovery is moving in the right direction: my strength and weight are increasing day on day and as a result I will leave the Santa Corona hospital very soon.”

He added, “As soon as I leave hospital, I’ll head to my home in Monaco for a short period of rest. Then I’ll move to Dr Ceccarelli‘s facilities in Italy where I will start a deep rehabilitation program and a preliminary soft training programme. The two programmes will gradually cross over based on the speed of my recovery.”

Kubica last drove a Formula 1 car on 3 February, on the final day of testing in Valencia, where he ended the fastest of all in the Renault R31.

A couple of days later, during the minor rally in Italy, he suffered the career altering accident.

Source: YallaF1

Boullier: Kubica’s strength amazes doctors

Renault team boss Eric Boullier has given some more insight into Robert Kubica’s injuries sustained in the freak rally accident last month and how the Pole has stunned doctors with his mental strength.

Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live the Renault boss said, “He surprised everybody at the hospital in Italy. All the doctors came to me and said they were amazed about how his mental state could be so strong, and he was even smiling – it was an example for the department.”

“He’s progressed very well, and his recovery is going as well as you would dream when in that state. It’s still very early, he’s just started his rehabilitation this week, and the hand and the elbow are two tricky parts that got injured in the accident,” said Boullier.

Since the horror accident during a club rally in Italy evidence has emerged how a barrier sliced through Kubica’s Skoda and in truth he is lucky to be alive.

Boullier went on to say, “He’s progressed very well, and his recovery is going as well as you would dream when in that state,” Boullier told BBC Radio Five Live. It’s still very early, he’s just started his rehabilitation this week, and the hand and the elbow are two tricky parts that got injured in the accident.”

The Frenchman explained, “We still need to wait a couple of weeks, I think, to have a clear understanding of the recovery. It’s not easy for him to understand [how the recovery] will go and now morale is difficult for him as well because obviously you realise how tough it will be to work and be back.”

In a twist of fate Kubica’s former BMW team mate Nick Heidfeld, who until recently was unemplyed by an F1 team, has been drafted into the squad as substitute.

“Nick fits very well with the team,” said Boullier. “It’s clearly an opportunity for him, and it was the right time for him. So far it’s not easy to step into the footsteps of Robert, but I think his experience and his commitment and his ambition made his integration into the team easier.”

Source: YallaF1

FIA president Todt visits recovering Kubica

On Saturday Robert Kubica was visited at the Santa Corona Hospital by FIA president Jean Todt.

Todt is one of several high profile Formula 1 related personalities who have been to see Kubica in Italy. The Pole is on the road to recovery after his horror accident during a club rally earlier this month.

Todt did not speak to media after his visit.

Meanwhile reports in Italy suggest that Kubica’s psychological state and physical condition are good.

His manager Daniele Morelli has also indicated that he is optimistic of a full recovery, however has called for the Lotus-Renault driver’s privacy to be respected as he starts his rehabilitation.

Kubica’s room is protected by security guards and cameras to ensure that he not be disturbed by fans, media and other patients.

Source: YallaF1

Kubica: I’m facing long difficult rehabilitation

Robert Kubica insists he is “very lucky” despite recovering from horror injuries in an Italian hospital and is aware that the road to recovery will be long and hard.

The Pole has been replaced at Renault for the start of the 2011 season, and there are doubts as to whether he will return to full fitness in the future.

“There are milestones to be met, and his journey will be long,” admitted Santa Corona’s spinal unit chief Antonino Massone, according to La Stampa newspaper.

“For a month, there is the risk of infection. When a bone is exposed for 45 minutes, as it was in this case, it is attacked by bacteria and we need to treat it with antibiotics,” he said.

But he hailed the Pole as “extraordinary”, and Kubica’s manager Daniele Morelli said he is a good patient “because he is a driver”.

“The doctors and physiotherapists, for him, are like the engineers at Renault; adjusting, modifying and correcting the machine for the best result.”

The Italian media report said it will be at least three months until it is known if Kubica has recovered enough functionality to drive again in the future.

“I know I’m not in good shape, but I consider myself very lucky,” Kubica said. “I am facing a long and difficult rehabilitation, but I am not worried about that.”

Source: YallaF1

Robert Kubica 'recovering well' says his surgeon

Robert Kubica is recovering well and is psychologically "strong", according to a surgeon who has operated on him

The 26-year-old Pole has been in hospital near Genoa, Italy, since he was seriously hurt in a crash while competing in a rally on 6 February.

Dr Igor Rossello said: "The good news is there have been no complications following all the surgery he has had.

"He is doing pretty well and his condition is positive considering what he has been through."

Dr Rossello, who operated on Kubica's right hand, which was nearly severed in the crash, added: "What is very important is there is no sign of infection, which is the main concern, and he also no longer needs intensive care, so he has begun the rehabilitation process."

He added that Kubica, who finished eighth in the 2010 drivers' table, had regained "a little bit of sensitivity" in the hand and was able to slightly flex his fingers.

Kubica has undergone three operations since his car left the road in the Ronde di Andora.

In addition to the hand injury, he sustained multiple fractures to a leg and arm.

The medical team attending Kubica say he will spend at least two more weeks at the Santa Corona hospital in Petra Ligure, while he is recovering from the operations.

Kubica is expected to miss the entire 2011 season, although he told Gazzetta dello Sport last week that he was aiming to return to F1 before the end of the year.

Renault have since named his former BMW Sauber team-mate Nick Heidfeld as his stand-in.

"He [Kubica] is no longer in pain and his psychological condition is pretty good," added Rossello, in an interview on the Renault website.

"He's obviously keen to start the rehabilitation work as soon as possible. For the next couple of weeks he will stay here so we can monitor his condition.

"During that time there is still the possibility of infection and other complications, so he will have the dressings on his hand changed every few days."

Source: BBC Sport

Girlfriend says Kubica’s condition has worsened

Robert Kubica’s condition has worsened over the weekend, according to his girlfriend.

Polish news channel TVN 24 quoted the Renault driver’s partner Edyta as saying Kubica is not as well as he was before his latest surgery.

"His state has somewhat worsened, both in regards to his physical and psychological state," she said.

Kubica, 26, had been removed from intensive care but he is back, Edyta Witas confirmed.

"Robert has had worse days, but he is strong and he knows that staying in ICU is the best solution for him. His life is not in danger," she clarified.

Source: Nextgen

Vettel: Kubica should continue rallying

Sebastian Vettel is hoping Robert Kubica's horrific rally accident will not have dampened the Pole's passion for the sport

Last Sunday while contesting the opening stage of the Ronde di Andora rally in Liguria, Kubica suffered career-threatening injuries when he lost control at high speed, crashing into a guard rail and ending up in a church wall.

The Lotus Renault driver has already undergone two surgeries, one to save the functionality of his right hand and a second to rebuild his foot, shoulder and the inner part of his elbow.

The doctors are optimistic about his recovery, although have revealed that a third operation is needed on his arm.

Asked about his Polish rival during testing at Jerez, Vettel told Autosport: "First of all I think the most important message was that he didn't lose his hand, everything is still there and as far as we heard after the operation he's had quite a good recovery already.

"The most important thing is he's coming back to his normal strength and normal health, which will take a long time probably. He's quite young considering his life, so it's important that everything works naturally."

Kubica's accident has raised questions about the wisdom of his Formula One team permitting him to take part in rallies.

Vettel believes the team made the right decision as rallying is a passion of Kubica's, adding that he hopes the accident will not have robbed him of his love for the sport.

"We hope that very soon he will be strong enough to drive a Formula 1 car again and maybe do some rallies again - because he loves rallies a lot, he is a big fan," said the Red Bull driver.

"It was not his first rally and I think it was a very unlucky place to crash. I think he was lucky in the end, but also obviously very unlucky.

"Obviously it was a big shock for all of us. You hear a lot of stories when something happens. The most important thing is he's alive and he didn't lose his hand.

"I think he knows that there is always a risk when you do things like that, the same as when you go out here (in F1). Motorsport is like that. He's had quite a lot of big crashes in his career so far - most of the time not his fault."

As to whether Vettel will try his hand at it, he said: "I still think rallying is a very fascinating sport. "One day I might do it myself, but obviously when you get this kind of message it's a big shock.

"Maybe if I should rally at some stage I'll start in the snow where there are no barriers..."

Source: Planet-F1

Webber urges Kubica to be patient

Despite suffering broken bones in two falls in recent history, Mark Webber has revealed that he still loves mountain bike riding.

The Australian driver was commenting on Robert Kubica’s new battle to recover from horrific injuries suffered in a rally crash.

“Compared to Robert, I had a scratched finger,” said the Red Bull driver, referring to his own badly broken leg and – more recently – shoulder.

Webber said there is no trying to stop F1 drivers from going about their lives away from the track.

“Our perception of risk is different to normal people,” he insisted in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.

“First of all, Robert should thank his lucky stars; to survive something like that is already a gift from god. From now it will be about the head, said the Aussie. “He is going to go through the ups and downs, because after three good days of training you have a bad one and you wonder if it’s all going to pay off.”

“He has to be patient, which for a racing driver is exactly the worst thing: we are hyperactive and he will want to see progress every day, as we do with our jobs. He just has to give it the time it needs,” advised Webber.

Source: YallaF1

Räikkönen wishes Kubica good luck to get well

Kimi Räikkönen and Robert Kubica were F1-brothers who were especially connected by their love for rally. Now Räikkönen continues for the second year in WRC while the Pole is laying badly hurt in an Italian hospital after his serious rally accident.

What did Räikkönen think when he heard about Kubica's accident?

– That he had quite some bad luck there. That's how it sadly is. It's useless to speculate more on it because it isn't going to change it into anything else, Räikkönen said.

Is rally more dangerous than F1?

– Both are dangerous. Robert just had bad luck like I already said. It was bad luck but there was some good luck too. The worst could have happened if the end of the railing would have come inside through the spot where he was sitting. Those things can just happen. Every racing driver has to deal with that risk.

– Hopefully Robert will be allright, Räikkönen sighed.

Kaj Lindström doesn't remember any accident like Kubica's ever before.

– It is a serious matter and makes you stop to think when something like that happens to the dude. Fortunately his hand didn't have to be amputated. That accident had ingredients for absolutely everything when the car took off and the railing hit so that it got inside to steer over the gearbox.

– I don't know if it would have helped no matter what would have been done. When it happens, it happens. There are always dangers. And Kubica isn't any rookie because he has about 20 rallies behind him, Lindström thinks.

Turun Sanomat, Hagfors

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Kubica moves hand as Renault seeks ’experienced driver’

"It is a great result that Kubica can now move his hand"

Good news emerged from Italy on Wednesday afternoon: Robert Kubica can move all five fingers on his injured right hand.

The limb was partially severed in a rally crash last Sunday, raising a question mark about the Pole’s future in motor racing.

But his hand surgeon Igor Rossello is quoted by SID news agency: "The operation went perfectly.

"It is a great result that Kubica can now move his hand, because the surgery was long and complicated."

The next hurdle for the 26-year-old Renault driver is an operation not on Thursday as originally scheduled, but instead on Friday, to work on his injured right shoulder and foot.

A few days later, Kubica will return to the operating table for elbow surgery.

Rossello said Kubica then faces a long period of rehabilitation.

"He will need to work hard every day."

Before that, however, the grand prix winner will be interviewed by Liguria police who are investigating the crash, in which Kubica’s Skoda Fabia was skewered by a length of armco barrier.

Renault team owner Gerard Lopez visited Kubica in hospital on Wednesday. He will meet Renault team boss Eric Boullier later today.

"Robert is a great loss for us at the moment that is forcing us to revise our plans. This is clearly a difficult time.

"We don’t know yet if and when Robert will return. If it will be a long recovery and he will not be back this season, we need to rely on an experienced driver.

"The fate of our season will depend on this new driver, as without Robert it is difficult to predict how we will fare. Obviously, we need a driver capable of winning the championship."

Source: Nextgen

Come on Robert, our thoughts are with you!

Maranello, 7 February – “Robert has inner strength and I am sure he can rely on that this time too,” commented Fernando Alonso, who was very shocked when he heard of Robert Kubica’s accident, yesterday in the “Ronde di Andora” rally. The Spaniard was skiing in Val Gardena along with Felipe Massa and other friends from within the team when he heard the news and by late afternoon he arrived at the hospital in Pietra Ligure to be close to his friend.

“The most important thing is that Robert’s life is not in danger and the rest can take its time, but I am with him in heart and mind.” Felipe is in Maranello today, working on the simulator and he sent his own message to Daniele Morelli, the Polish driver’s manager. “All my thoughts are with Robert at such a difficult time. I have first hand experience of this type of situation and I learned how important it is to feel so much support from family and friends,” said Felipe. “I hope that I too can send some positive energy his way and I am praying that all goes well and he gets back to normal.

Forza Robert, from the bottom of my heart!” Stefano Domenicali, on behalf of President Montezemolo and everyone at Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro sent this get-well message. “Robert and those dear to him are in our thoughts at this difficult time. He is very tough and has a very strong constitution: we are sure he will get out of this and we can’t wait to see him back on track, with his sense of irony and his smile. Go on Robert, give it your best shot. We are waiting for you!”

Source: Ferrari.com

Robert Kubica accident: Fernando Alonso rushes to the hospital

Fernando Alonso also came to the hospital Santa Corona in Pietra Ligure. Here, the Polish driver Robert Kubica is still in surgery, where surgeons are completing the delicate operation to rebuild muscles and tissues of the limb right. The staff of the specialist Igor Rossello and the team doctor Riccardo Ceccarelli later communicate the results of the operation, which will continue up to 22. The larger official medical bulletin is expected for tomorrow morning instead.

The news of the terrible accident on the Rally Ronde of Andover has been around for athletes. Fernando Alonso was rushed in Pietra Ligure to closely monitor the conditions of fellow rider, who with his Skoda Fabia this morning he hit the guardrail and a half to four kilometers away from the special stage in Testico. The cusp of the metal barrier has pierced the car, crumpling the passenger compartment.

In October 2009, Kubica had switched to Renault with Alonso taking the place of their own, which was in turn passed to Ferrari for the 2010 season. Kubica would be granted a short term holiday patrols of Andover, then back behind the wheel of Renault at the start of the new Formula One season.

Source: IVG

Rally di Andora, the accident pilot Robert Kubica: arm amputee

Robert Kubica closes dramatically automotive career at Andover, on the heights of Testico. Doctors Hospital Santa Corona in Pietra Ligure, where he was transported in serious condition this morning, have an arm amputee runner Polish.

The sports for years among the big F1 crashed around 9 against a guardrail, seriously injured the other, as well as trauma and internal injuries. Kubica, 26, was driving a Skoda Fabia when the car, on a slight slope to 4.6 km from the start of the Ronde, in San Lorenzo in the municipality of Testico, it left the road at high speed crashing at the roadside .

The navigator of Kubica, Jakub Gerber, escaped unhurt from the car.

Statement from Renault:

"After undergoing extensive medical checks this morning, Robert Kubica has been diagnosed with multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand. He is currently undergoing surgery at the Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure.

“Robert suffered a high-speed accident this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora Rally.

“Daniel Morelli, Robert’s manager, will be available for the press in front of the hospital emergency entrance at 16h30 CET.

“Lotus Renault GP driver, Robert Kubica, suffered an accident at high speed this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora Rally.

“The driver was airlifted to Pietra Ligure Hospital, where he is currently undergoing medical checks. His co-driver is fine.”

...

Petrov penalised after taking out Hulkenberg

Vitaly Petrov will lose five-places on the grid at the next event in Korea.

Renault's Vitaly Petrov has been punished by the stewards following the F1 2010 Japanese Grand Prix today.

The stewards ruled post-race that he had breach the regulations by causing a collision with the Williams of Nico Hulkenberg at the start of the race. As a result he picks up a five-place grid penalty for the next event in Korea.

Speaking after the race, Petrov maintained that he had to move over because of Nick Heidfeld.

“I made a good start and managed to overtake [Felipe] Massa,” Petrov explained. “I was then going passed Hulkenberg with [Nick] Heidfeld on my right when he started to move left and so I also had to move left to avoid him. Unfortunately I hit the side of Hulkenberg's car and this is why I crashed.”

Hulkenberg, who was the innocent victim, added: “I had a bad start and I didn't get off the line at all. I then saw Petrov coming up behind me. He touched my front right wheel and that was it.

"You never want to finish a race that early, but today it happened and it was unfortunate for us both. The team are doing a really good job developing the car and that showed in our qualifying performance so it was a shame to finish that early.”

Source: Crash

Massa "lucky" to avoid big accident at the Parabolica

Felipe Massa narrowly avoided a big shunt in second practice

Felipe Massa admitted he was "really lucky" to come away from his trip into the gravel trap unscathed during the second free practice session for the Italian Grand Prix.

Massa had lit up the timing screens and looked set to post the fastest time when he came up behind Michael Schumacher in the Parabolica and lost downforce. He understeered off the track and then held a huge slide on the gravel, narrowly avoiding the tyre wall at over 100mph before making a lunge for the pits.

"At the end of the second session, I tried to copy Kimi [Raikkonen, ex-Ferrari driver] and do a bit of rallying," Massa said. "Joking apart, I was really lucky when I went off the track. I was heading for my best time, when I found myself in Michael's wake at the Parabolica and went off: I kept the accelerator pressed down in the hope I would manage to avoid hitting the barrier and I managed it, so I came straight back to the pits. Unfortunately, the car was slightly damaged, so I had to miss out on the final part of our programme."

Despite the mistake, Massa still held the third fastest time at the end of the session and is confident ahead of Saturday's qualifying session.

"Overall, it has been a good day in which we constantly improved," he added. "We had a lot of work to get through and at the start we struggled a bit, but then we found a good set-up and in the end I was reasonably happy with my car. We learned a lot about the handling of the F10 and now we have plenty of data to analyse to prepare as well as possible for what is such an important event, this being the Scuderia's home race."

Source: ESPNF1

Hard work for repairing Kimi's C4!

Source: Citroën WRC

Kimi: down but not out?

Despite a sizeable accident on the final stage of the Rally Bulgaria today, the Citroen Junior Team is still holding out hope that Kimi Raikkonen will be able to re-start the second day of the rally tomorrow.

Raikkonen went off less than eight kilometres from the finish of SS4, Belmeken Lake, where he had set fifth-fastest time in the morning.

Nonetheless, having secured fourth place following his team mate Sebastien Ogier’s off in the morning, Raikkonen set off on a more aggressive strategy in the afternoon. He was the only Citroen driver to have opted for Pirelli’s soft-compound tyres, banking on some rain affecting the final two stages.

“I think it’s a good decision,” he said at midday service. “We’ll try something different and see what happens.”

The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion ran at a comparatively conservative pace throughout the penultimate stage, setting sixth-quickest time, but pushed much harder on the final stage, setting the opening two fastest split times despite conditions remaining warm and dry.

Raikkonen then went off towards the end of the stage, landing on his car’s roof. Although the accident was big enough to bring out the yellow flags, Citroen is not giving up hope that the former Grand Prix champion’s C4 WRC can be fixed tonight so that he can start day two under the super rally regulations, with a five-minute penalty per stage missed.

This means that Raikkonen would re-start just outside the top 20 tomorrow, but with every possibility of scoring manufacturer points and acquiring additional experience.

Citroen Junior Team manager Benoit Nogier commented: “We will look at the car when it is back and see if we can re-start under super rally tomorrow. That is certainly our hope, but we can only assess this once we see the car properly. ”

Source: WRC

F1 » Webber relieved after 'nasty accident'

Mark Webber: “I am OK, I lost some points, but in the end when you're up there, you're not worried about points, I was worried that I was OK and ready for Silverstone. You cannot control where you are going and how hard the hits are going to be.”


Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber was lucky to walk away uninjured from the European Grand Prix at Valencia in Spain today after his race came to a violent end early on.

Webber, who had started second, had a bad start and was down in ninth at the end of the opening lap. With little to lose, he became the first driver to stop for fresh tyres on lap 8. However, the gamble became academic, when his Red Bull cartwheeled over the back of the Lotus of Heikki Kovalainen following a misunderstanding while battling for position.

Riding up over the right rear of the T127, the Australian was turned skywards before coming down on his rollhoop. The car then rolled back onto its belly and skated at barely abated speed into the turn twelve tyre wall and rebounded into the run-off area.

Fortunately Webber was able to throw out the steering wheel and clamber from the wreckage unaided, before being ushered into the medical car. Kovalainen, too, was unhurt, despite losing his rear wing and being fired into the retaining wall.

“I was going a lot faster than Heikki and then a long, long way before the braking point he braked - about 80m before - and at that point I'm a passenger,” Webber said. “The car, thank God, was very safe. I am OK, I lost some points, but in the end when you're up there, you're not worried about points, I was worried that I was OK and ready for Silverstone. You cannot control where you are going and how hard the hits are going to be.

“Of course, the hits were pretty hard but it's good that I am OK. It was my Monte Carlo and Barcelona winning chassis and one which has secured a lot of pole positions, so the chassis has been good to me, and it has been good to me today as it saved me from some injures. I remain incredibly positive, we go on, it's half way through the Championship. Bloody hell, let's get on with it.”

Red Bull Racing team boss, Christian Horner meanwhile was just thankful that his driver wasn't seriously hurt in what was a very scary incident: “The most important thing today is that Mark Webber is safe and OK. After a very nasty accident, he's fine,” Horner added.

Source: Crash

Massa: These things happened for a reason

While one is destroying the environment and the other almost cost him his life, Felipe Massa believes BP's oil spill and his Hungarian accident both happened for a reason.

Visiting a Shell oil rig, the FPSO Fluminense, between grands prix, the Ferrari driver shared his perspective on both the huge BP oil spill that is threatening coastlines and ecosystems as well as last year's Hungarian GP accident, which threatened his own life.

"For sure, I think these things happen for a reason," he told the Daily Telegraph with regards to BP's Deepwater Horizon explosion.

"Sometimes you see incredible things happen and we don't know why. It's the same as my accident. It was so incredible but it happened for a reason."

Asked to expand on what the possible reason was, he said: "Maybe it was a lesson not to take things for granted. I used to look at accidents and bad things and think they only happened to other people."

Turning his attention to this year's Championship and the recent debacle in Turkey, which saw Sebastian Vettel crash into his team-mate Mark Webber, Massa believes F1 followers and the media alike can be rather fickle in their opinion of drivers.

"I think sometimes people don't know what they are talking about," he said. "I mean, look, nobody cares about Mark Webber, then he wins two races and all of a sudden he is amazing.

"Now Sebastian is 'crumbling under the pressure'.

"After two races people change their minds very quickly. The fact is there are lots of drivers who are capable of winning the Championship."

Source: Planet F1

Red Bull pair Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel set for talks after Turkey blunder

Mark Webber is to hold clear-the-air talks with Red Bull Racing team-mate Sebastian Vettel

Webber is hoping he and Vettel can resolve their differences ahead of the next race in Canada on June 13 as a feud erupted following their accident in Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix.

Both Red Bull drivers blamed each other for the lap-40 collision in which the young German turned into the Australian as he attempted to pass down the inside.

The outcome saw Vettel spin out of the race and Webber require a new front wing, allowing Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button to score a one-two for McLaren.

Speaking in his column in the Australian Daily Telegraph, Webber said: "Seb and I will sit down and have a chat about it because we need to avoid costly slip-ups like this in the future.
"We'll probably have a difference of opinion about what happened on Sunday until we go to our graves, but we're both adults and we need to find a way of racing together that doesn't compromise the team.

"If we'd been fighting for 18th and 19th positions when this accident occurred, no one would have cared. As it was, we were fighting for the lead, and it's all anyone wants to know about."

Team principal Christian Horner blamed both drivers for the shunt, believing Webber should have given Vettel room, and accusing the 22-year-old German of turning in too aggressively.

Webber, though, is adamant he did nothing wrong, adding: "Vettel had a bit of a top-speed advantage and I could see him coming down my inside.

"We were fighting for the lead, so I stayed tight to ensure he'd be on the dirty side of the track as we approached the braking area. I was holding my line and he came across on me.

"We made contact. It was only a light touch, but when you're travelling at 300kmh (186mph) that's all you need for a situation to end in tears."

Source: Daily Telegraph