Sebastian Vettel becomes sixth most successful Formula One racing driver of all time, as controversy over Malaysia win continues

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Published: 26 March 2013

The podium at the Malaysian Grand Prix was arguably the glummest and perhaps the most embarrassing since Michael Schumacher’s controversial win in Austria in 2002.

It has drawn dissimilar comparisons with the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix, when fellow German Michael Schumacher effectively gave the win to Eddie Irvine.

Sebastian Vettel Malaysian Grand Prix Race Orders Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel Malaysian Grand Prix Race Orders Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel was red-faced at the top of the podium with an angry Mark Webber standing to his right and a remarkably confused and grumpy Lewis Hamilton to his left.

The Malaysian Grand Prix brought to light the controversy of team orders once again – in only the second Formula One race of the season.

While Mark Webber most certainly did not let Sebastian Vettel pass him easily, if he had, and it had been a title-deciding race nearer the end of the season, the Red Bull pair would most likely have been disqualified, with Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg taking the win.

Mark Webber Malaysian Grand Prix Team Orders Mark Webber

Mark Webber Malaysian Grand Prix Team Orders Mark Webber

After the final pit stop, it emerged the team had ordered Sebastian Vettel to stay behind race-leader Mark Webber, effectively fixing the positions and deciding the outcome of the race well before the finish.

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has previously mentioned how dominance in Formula One is unhealthy and was perhaps attempting to regain Mark Webber’s trust in the team by issuing the orders.

Triple World Champion Vettel ignored the team orders and passed Webber to win the race, adding further tension to the already strained relationship between the two drivers. Lewis Hamilton said there is a clear one-two at the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull Racing and cites this as the core issue of the team’s ‘problems’.

Christian Horner Malaysian Grand Prix Red Bull Racing Team Orders

Christian Horner Malaysian Grand Prix Red Bull Racing Team Orders

As they battled for the win, the Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were fighting for third place, with Mercedes boss Ross Brawn ordering the German to ‘hold station’ and remain in fourth behind the 2008 Formula One World Champion.

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that despite achieving a landmark 50th podium, Nico Rosberg deserved third-place. “He drove a smarter and more controlled race,” the 28-year-old Briton said of Nico Rosberg. "He is a great team-mate. I will speak to the team, or apologise. I said to him he did a fantastic job. He had better pace through the race.

"Nico deserved to be where I am. With the position in the championship the team thought it was logical to stay in position. Would I let him past in the future? I probably would."

Critics and fans have once again called for a ban on team orders in Formula One but many have said this would result in the destruction of a key element that makes the sport what it is: strategy.