Sebastian Vettel said he was very lucky to escape being hit at high speed when Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez collided at the end of Sunday’s drama-filled Canadian Grand Prix.
The defending four-time world champion’s Red Bull car was passed on either side by the Williams and Force India cars of the two Latin Americans, missing his vehicle by less than a metre as they tangled approaching Turn 1 on the final lap.
Mexican Perez and Brazilian Massa avoided serious injury in the crash that saw Perez’s collision with the barriers measured at a force of 27G.
German Vettel had just passed Perez into the final chicane just prior to the clash.
“I saw they were close to each other,” he said. “I saw something white coming in the mirror and I turned right – and Felipe was in the air coming past.
“I was quite lucky – and saw him just in time.”
Vettel had spent the second half of the race behind ultimately victorious teammate Daniel Ricciardo as both chased second-placed Perez and the ailing Mercedes of leader Nico Rosberg.
The Renault-powered Red Bull’s lack of power let him down, he said.
“It was difficult for us all the time, getting stuck behind the Force India,” he said. “We were just not quick enough down the straights. We lacked power.”
Meanwhile, Massa and Perez were both discharged from hospital after undergoing precautionary checks.
Although both men remarkably emerged unscathed from their cars, as a precaution they were initially assessed at the track medical centre, and then airlifted on to hospital.
A statement from world governing body the FIA read: “Following the accident between Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix, it has been confirmed both drivers extricated themselves from their cars and were immediately transferred to the medical centre for preliminary checks.
“The results of these checks were entirely positive.
“However, as a precautionary measure they were both transferred to Sacre Coeur hospital for further examination. Both of them have been discharged.”
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