Vettel in the clear after shock pass

SEBASTIAN VETTEL has escaped with just a slap on the wrist from his Red Bull boss - despite breaking team orders.

The three-time world champion was at the centre of an inter-team storm after passing teammate Mark Webber to win the Malaysian Grand Prix when he was told not to.
Furious Webber blasted Vettel and cynically insisted the team would give him “protection as usual”.
But now boss Christian Horner insists the matter is closed following Vettel’s apology while he refused to deny whether his own position in the team was undermined.
Horner said: “I would say it has been put to bed. We have spoken to the drivers and as far as the team is concerned it is a closed book.
“Seb is very honest guy and I think he was shocked after the race. The feeling came over him, you could see that, that he felt he had done something wrong.
“I believe his apology was sincere and he repeated that apology in private in the briefing we had later that evening.
“You don’t win what he has by being a driver that is submissive and that sits back and if Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton had been in that position they would have done the same.
“Let’s not kid ourselves that this is something that is unique to Sebastian. This is something that is in any competitive drivers’ DNA.
“It has been dealt with. We have spoken to the drivers and they know the objectives of the team.
“I don’t expect them to spend Christmas together or anything like that but they are professional individuals who will work to bring the best out of each other.”
Vettel’s disregard for Horner’s instructions have raised questions as to who has the authority in the team.
Horner says he is used to coping with his competitive drivers yet when quizzed as to how he feels about Vettel’s snub, he stopped short of pressing home his authority.
He added: “In three months you go from winning a double world championship in Austin and Brazil and then suddenly it is a drama and a crisis despite a 1-2 finish.
“But it is something we have had to deal with in the past since and part of my role is making sure I get the best out of them for the team.
“What is a great shame is what went unnoticed on Sunday -- a 1-2 finish and eight pitstops all under three seconds.
“It was a massive achievement but those last 13 laps clouded what was a great effort from the team.”