Webber criticizes new F1 podium procedure

Mark Webber has criticized the new podium procedure in F1 which sees the top three classified interviewed immediately after the awards ceremony by various champions of the sport such as Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda.

In Abu Dhabi, controversy arose over the colorful language of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel and the FIA ​​invited the drivers to use more appropriate language. Furthermore, the flags of the first three classified have been replaced by electronic versions.

“I think the podium should be a celebration of the drivers and what they have achieved,” said Webber. “There shouldn't be anyone else looking for five minutes of exposure. This bothered me. Furthermore, real flags are needed. Electronic flags suck. It's nice to see real flags flying. The interviews with the drivers on the podium? I am neither for nor against. For swear words, they will never disappear. Sia has an incredible amount of adrenaline and sometimes you can't find the right words, but now we have to be careful. It's another part of the weekend on which we need to stay focused."

Vettel found the controversy over swear words “excessive”: “It wasn't intentional. There was certainly no need to create such a controversy. Anyway, if I said something inappropriate I apologize. But there's not much more I could have said about it."