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Villeneuve slams 'stupid' Vettel

ESPN Staff
March 31, 2013 « Lotus wants more from E21 in qualifying | Exact pace still unclear - Domenicali »
Red Bull says the issue between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber is now 'settled' © Getty Images
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Jacques Villeneuve has slammed Sebastian Vettel for what he described as "stupid" behaviour in Malaysia and has drawn parallels to his father's feud with Didier Pironi.

Vettel ignored team orders and passed team-mate Mark Webber to take victory at Sepang last weekend, with Webber clearly livid after the race. Villeneuve pointed to a similar incident between his father - Gilles - and his Ferrari team-mate Pironi in 1982 when Pironi snatched victory at Imola. Gilles was then killed in a crash while trying to beat Pironi's qualifying time at the next race at Zolder.

Villeneuve said that Vettel was "just plain wrong" to ignore the team and that Webber will not forget the incident quickly.

"It's easy to make excuses but in the end, Vettel's got the win and the points," Villeneuve toldAuto Bild. "Mark has nothing. It was a deliberate decision by Vettel. The team give you the contract and pay you the money, and so you do what they want you to do. It's very simple.

"Ignoring is just plain wrong. The best example is my father and Didier Pironi. Just look at the problems that caused. (Vettel's) behaviour was just stupid. Such negative energy does not help the team. If he now needs help from Mark, he cannot be sure he will get it."

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