The Fake News of Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification from the Baku Grand Prix
The Twittosphere was abuzz with rumours that Sebastian Vettel would be disqualified for his collision with Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But the bombshell quickly died down, and the debate is now over.
The FIA summoned Sebastian Vettel on his thirtieth birthday to discuss the collision that occurred between the Scuderia driver and Lewis Hamilton under the safety car conditions in Baku.
If the meeting was scheduled for 3 PM at Place de la Concorde, Twitter erupted when a document matching the FIA’s graphic charter was “leaked,” indicating that the German was simply excluded from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Consequently, Lewis Hamilton would then find himself tied in the championship with his rival.
This announcement was therefore picked up by numerous sources, starting with Julien Febreau from Canal+ and Fabrice Jaton from Swiss television. But very quickly, it was reported that this document was a fake and therefore the news it contained was equally false.
In these times when fake news has become a recurring theme since the U.S. presidential election, here is new proof that the immediacy of information dissemination on social networks can lead to serious errors. Fortunately, this is just a minor sporting element, with stakes that are fairly modest on a global scale…
The true decision of the FIA was then made public by the FIA. Since the German driver decided to acknowledge his mistake, the Federation was lenient in its judgment. Sebastian Vettel will simply have to conduct educational sessions with young competitors, whether in F2, F3, or F4, over the next twelve months. Jean Todt also decided to exclude him from any road safety promotions, one of his major focuses, until the end of the year.
The FIA president commented on the decision taken: « High-level sport is a very competitive environment where tempers can occasionally flare. Nevertheless, it is up to the champions to handle this pressure calmly and behave in a manner that is both respectful of the sporting rules and worthy of their status. Athletes must be aware of the repercussions their attitude can have on those who admire them. They are heroes and role models in the eyes of millions of fans around the world, so their conduct must be impeccable. »
In summary, all’s well that ends well for the various stakeholders. The championship will indeed be decided on the track and not at Place de la Concorde.
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
