Sebastian Vettel was ‘provoked’ into making a ‘large mistake’ – Jackie Stewart

Three-time champion Sir Jackie Stewart believes Sebastian Vettel was provoked into making a 'large and irresponsible mistake' when he collided with Lewis Hamilton during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Vettel ran into the back of Hamilton during the second safety car restart after the Briton slowed ahead of him, which then led Vettel to drive alongside the Mercedes and intentionally take a swipe at his rival.

Whilst Hamilton was cleared of any wrongdoing by the stewards, Stewart reckons his actions were enough to provoke Vettel into making a mistake, although the former driver insists that doesn't make it right.

"There is no doubt in my opinion that Vettel was completely wrong, irresponsible in colliding with Lewis," Stewart told The Flying Lap. "Whether that was a moment of anger, or whatever it may have been, it was still not correct.

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"However, there's another side to that which I think is more important.

"The reason that it happened was that Lewis either lifted off completely from the gas pedal or brushed the brakes at a time when no racing driver behind the leader would have expected anybody to do that it.

"Vettel, even with the fast reactions of an F1 world champion of four times, still ran into the back of Lewis, not by any intention at all, but by the fact that it was such a severe retardation while he, and every other driver for that matter, was ready to accelerate down the straight because the pace car had already disappeared.

"That provoked, no doubt, Vettel's frame of mind. And the mind management wasn't working.

"As it developed, in my opinion, Vettel was absolutely wrong to collide with Lewis Hamilton. I think that was a large mistake."