Sebastian Vettel expects to miss qualifying for the United States Grand Prix in Austin this weekend due to an enforced penalty for exceeding his allocation of five power units for the year.
“As far as I know, the plan is to use the opportunity to change, to have a sixth component of all the various components,” Vettel said. “Obviously for that as far as the regulations are concerned we have to start from the pitlane.”
As you can see the regulations make the prospect of participating in a pointless qualifying session pretty unattractive.
“For the weekend, our plan could be a little bit different in terms of how we approach practice and qualifying in particular,” Vettel explained. “Once you have to start from the pitlane your focus is not on qualifying because no matter what you do in qualifying it doesn’t matter because you still have to start from the pitlane.
“So that’s why in practice, largely, we will try to focus on the race.”
The grid is already down four cars thanks to the absence for Caterham and Marussia and the prospect of last year’s winner in Austin sitting out quali is not ideal. But as Vettel says, he doesn’t make the rules.
“I didn’t make the rules,” he said. “It’s a rule that is the same for everyone. But for the people come to watch the cars, to watch qualifying, it’s a very bad rule.”
[Source: Autosport | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
One reply on “Sebastian Vettel to sit out USGP qualifying”
Vettel = assholius maximus.
Do the right thing by the fans and change the bloody thing after putting in at least a token effort in qualifying!