Vettel dismisses bad-boy tag

Date published : 10 Sep 2010 - 17:30:39

Sebastian Vettel has dismissed suggestions he has become a Formula One bad boy, although admits he is going through a rough patch.

Vettel's clean, baby-faced image has faded this season, in particular as the pressure has grown. At various stages Vettel has delivered numerous gestures and been embroiled in a number of incidents that has altered the general perception of his character.

Asked as to his feelings he is now being portrayed as a bad boy, Vettel replied: "There are lots of things that get written and said. It is something you need to learn from, to deal with."

He added: "Two or three years back I didn't know what I might go through one day, and this is probably one of the stages when it is not the easiest time.

"But I have never really cared for what people think and say. I have always tried to look after myself.

"Obviously when you are the focus a lot of people care and you get good and bad comments for what you are doing."

In Turkey, following his shunt with Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, Vettel was seen twirling his index finger near his temple as if to indicate the Australian was mad for causing the shunt.

In Hungary, as the 23-year-old served a drive-through penalty, he shook his hands in frustration, seemingly towards the stewards for what he believed was a perceived injustice.

After the race, with the television cameras capturing the scene, the FIA's mild-mannered observer Herbie Blash was given a verbal dressing down by Vettel.

Then 12 days ago Vettel committed another mistake that resulted in him t-boning McLaren's Jenson Button, underlining the point that the cracks are clearly beginning to show.