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Sebastian Vettel was gutted to lose out on a second consecutive win in 2019, at the Russian Grand Prix. He grabbed the lead from the start with a lightning-quick start compared to Charles Leclerc. However, after some back and forth exchanges with Ferrari over strategy, it devolved into a farce.

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Team orders ruined the race as Leclerc was insistent that they stick to the original plan where he remain in front and give Vettel the tow. So, the German driver was forced to obey team orders and let Leclerc by.

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Having grown used to being the number 1 driver, it was odd for Vettel to be shafted into the number 2 driver role. A few laps later, there was even more heartbreak as his MGU-K went kaput and that was the end of that.

So, from a potential 1-2, Ferrari threw it away and ended up 3rd in the race, for Leclerc. This was not the first time Leclerc was of the opinion that he was hard done by. Last weekend, in Singapore, he was on the radio to the team when Sebastian Vettel jumped him with the undercut. So, having seen Vettel get the better of him at the Russian Grand prix 2019 start, he was far from pleased.

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In spite of the disappointing retirement, Sebastian Vettel justified the team’s actions and said that he spoke to Leclerc before the race.

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Dhruv George

14,869 Articles

Dhruv George is EssentiallySports’ foremost authority on motorsport and a founding member of the outlet’s NASCAR desk. A Journalism graduate fluent in English and French, he brings over eight years of motorsports journalism experience covering everything from high-octane NASCAR battles to the finesse of Formula 1 and MotoGP. His extensive paddock access has earned him exclusive interviews with top names such as F1’s Pierre Gasly and Moto2’s Tony Arbolino, cementing his reputation as a trusted voice among racing fans. Known for his candid opinions, Dhruv isn’t afraid to tackle contentious officiating calls, most recently defending Joey Logano after the DYL penalty in Phoenix. Before focusing on NASCAR as a Senior Writer, Dhruv contributed extensively to EssentiallySports’ coverage of F1 and NASCAR, building a versatile and impactful sports portfolio.

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