Greater Noida: Sahara Force India drivers -- Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg -- were cautious to react on Sebastian Vettel calling Indian racer Narain Karthikeyan an `idiot` after a collision during the Malaysian Grand Prix that cost the Red Bull driver points. Karthikeyan and Vettel collided during the 46th lap in the Malaysian GP and the defending champion suffered a puncture, eventually resulting in him dropping to 11th from fourth.
Asked about the incident, Hulkenberg said," He (Vettel) said it right after the race. It was a bad day for him. He had no points. He is emotional."
Resta also echoed the same sentiment. "Though I have not really seen the incident, I am sure a lot was said in the heat of the moment. May be he (Vettel) used the wrong words. Emotions run high in Formula One and sometimes you tend to say what you don`t really mean.
"Having said that, Narain is entitled to do as much on the track in comparison as someone like a Vettel. Both are F1 drivers and are there to represent their teams," Resta said.
Karthikeyan has reportedly said that some leading drivers tend to "bully" the backmarkers. The Indian driver was also involved in an accident with McLaren`s Jenson Button but the Briton had taken the blame for that. Meanwhile, Hulkenberg, who had a brush with the Buddh International circuit for the first time, termed the track as "nice" but said there was nothing "special" about it. Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta drove the journalists on the BIC in a Mercedes car to give them a feel of race speed and challenge.
"It`s quite a bit up and down. It`s nice but it does not stand out from the rest of the world. The corners are combining which makes it tricky and difficult," Hulkenberg said.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 20:54