F1 stewards summon Vasseur and Wolff over Vegas outbursts

Formula One stewards summoned Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur and Mercedes principal Toto Wolff to a hearing on Thursday into their conduct during a Las Vegas Grand Prix press conference last week.

Stewards said at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the governing FIA's media delegate had reported the pair for “the use of certain language” in the November 16 conference.

The Las Vegas stewards had been unable to conduct a hearing after the race and delegated their authority to the Abu Dhabi stewards.

“The purpose of the hearing will be to determine if there is a breach of article 12.2.1.f of the FIA international sporting code and, if so, what, if any, action should follow,” the stewards said.

The article covers “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA”.

Vasseur used a profanity in an angry response to a question after Carlos Sainz's Ferrari was wrecked by a loose drain cover during the aborted first practice session.

Wolff also swore at a suggestion the cancelled session was a “black eye” for F1.

Mercedes and Ferrari are fighting for second place in a championship dominated by Red Bull, with just four points separating the two teams.