By Philip Duncan
Lewis Hamilton has promised to win this year's Formula One championship "the right way" after his bitter clash with Sebastian Vettel in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The FIA, motor sport's governing body, is under growing pressure to sanction four-time champion Vettel after he deliberately drove into Hamilton during the chaotic race at Baku City Circuit.
The sporting federation was unavailable for comment yesterday, but Liberty Media, Formula One's new American owner, moved to distance itself from the explosive incident.
A Formula One spokesperson said: "The FIA is the regulatory body and their stewards have made their decision. It is not for Formula One to comment on this matter."
Lewis Hamilton vows to win F1 title "the right way"Credit: AP
Vettel incurred a 10-second stop-and-go penalty during the race after he banged wheels with Hamilton. Vettel believed that the Briton had deliberately 'brake-tested' him by slowing suddenly during one of three safety-car periods. However, telemetry from Hamilton's Mercedes proved the 32-year-old had not been acting in an unusual manner prior to the collision.
Hamilton's rivalry with Vettel this season had been noted for its cordiality, but that changed in an instant in Baku. "Today was obviously a different Sebastian than we saw in those seven races, and I like to think that I remained respectful," Hamilton said. "I will continue to do so and I want to do the talking on the track. I want to win this championship the right way."
Hamilton believes Vettel's actions were that of a man under pressure. "That's been kind of obvious for some time. You look at last year and some of the things he's come and said on the radio. We know how he can be," he said.
"We've put a lot of pressure on Ferrari. He's under pressure and that's not a bad thing. That shows that often pressure can get to even some of the best of us."
Vettel, 14 points ahead of Hamilton in the title race, claimed he would seek out his rival to clear the air before the next round of the championship, in Austria on Sunday week, but he was insistent that he had nothing to apologise for.
"I'm willing to sort it out with him, but I don't think there's much to sort out," Vettel said. "I'll talk with him. Maybe I'm not clever enough but I'm not complicated."
Meanwhile, Sir Jackie Stewart, a four-time world champion from 1969-1973, said Hamilton must take some of the blame.
While admitting Vettel "tarnished" his reputation, Stewart said: "Lewis slowed down so quickly in a very unlikely place. You have got to take that into account."
The Telegraph, London