The bone of contention, however, is understood to revolve around the release
of information which was not part of the Fota agreement, but which the
auditors requested at a later date and which some teams have voluntarily
divulged.
Asked about this Horner added: “We worked strictly within the guidance of the
scope which was agreed within Fota. We were happy to comply and were given a
clean bill of health.”
No team has lodged an official complaint against Red Bull but if the grumbling
continues in private there is no such sourness among Vettel’s rivals, who
queued up on Thursday to sing the 24 year-old’s praises as he homes in on
his second drivers’ title.
Vettel must finish on the podium on Sunday and hope that other results go his
way. But if he does not do it this weekend he is highly likely to complete
the job in Japan in a fortnight’s time.
“I think he has been exceptional this year,” McLaren’s Lewis
Hamilton admitted. “He has really driven really, really well. He has
finished first and second in all the races, apart from one. Massively
consistent, massively well controlled. I take my hat off to him.”
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso agreed: “In general he has been the best driver. Red
Bull are the best team and the best package, so they deserve to be where
they are.”