After a significant lack of any real drama in the 2019 Grand Prix so far, Formula One fans weren’t expecting much from the race on Sunday, June 9. However, no one could have predicted the drama that was about to unfold. With Ferrari finally out qualifying Mercedes, would this be the beginning of Vettel’s climb to the top? Unfortunately, it seems not…
Qualifying
Before the race even got underway, we were treated to some surprises when Kevin Magnussen crashed in the last few seconds of Q2. This led to his teammate, Romain Grosjean, missing out on a top ten spot and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen also losing out. However, it was Ferrari that impressed during qualifying, with Sebastian Vettel taking pole and Charles Leclerc starting in third.
The Race
It seemed as though Vettel had this race in the bag – and Ferrari couldn’t have looked any happier with his performance. Unfortunately, however, disaster struck when Seb locked up and ended up off the track. After 47 laps of looking strong, it seemed as though the pressure of Hamilton behind him was getting too much. Vettel managed to get back on the track just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, but the Mercedes driver was not happy. He was straight on the radio, calling out Vettel for an ‘unsafe re-entry’ and the decision was now in the hands of the FIA.
A Shocking Penalty
Ferrari didn’t seem that worried about what had happened, as they were adamant that Vettel had played it safe. Even the commentators were saying that it was likely the FIA would throw Hamilton’s cries of “dangerous driving” out. However, as the race got into the final few laps, the decision was passed. Vettel was handed a five-second penalty, meaning that even though he crossed the line in first place, he ultimately ended up second on the podium.
The Canadian 2019 Grand Prix was definitely an interesting one, with F1 fans confused as to how the stewards came up with their five-second penalty. Of course, this plays nicely into the hands of Mercedes, but Vettel was heartbroken. It seems as though Ferrari have announced their intention to appeal, but only time will tell if this makes any difference.