Tension, in the long run, is a more dangerous force than any feud known to man. The popular “Multi 21” incident involving Sebastian Vettel turns 10 years old. F1 fans worry about what potentially might be coming for Red Bull this season with regards to flashbacks of the Multi 21. Will history repeat itself this year?
Sebastian Vettel started on the pole for the 2013 Malaysian GP but it was Mark Webber who got into the lead of the race. The Red Bulls were running a comfortable P1-P2 with the Mercedes behind in P3 and P4. However, this was when the infamous Multi 21 incident happened. The Red Bull drivers were asked to hold the positions which meant asking the German not to overtake Webber. Despite this, the now 4 time World Champion had other plans and decided to overtake the Australian with a little over 12 laps remaining. Webber moved on the main straight almost pushing Vettel into the wall which could’ve ended the race for both the driver.
Happy Friday and Happy 10 year anniversary of the infamous “Multi-21” incident!
Vettel disobeyed team orders from Red Bull to stay behind Mark Webber at the Malaysian GP with 13 laps to go, passing Webber around the outside of Turn 4 to snatch the victory from the Australian. pic.twitter.com/ppPGBWCwae
— Dan – EngineMode11 (@EngineMode11) March 24, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
People have already started drawing similarities between the 2013 Vettel-Webber contention to the possible Verstappen-Perez friction as Checo has stepped up claiming he is willing to fight for the title this season. During the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP, both the Red Bull drivers were asked to reduce the pace, not push for the fastest lap and finish in comfortable P1-P2 without risking a failure. But just like the 2013 Malaysia GP, the drivers defied the team order and kept pushing. The only difference was that Max Verstappen was not able to overtake Sergio Perez whereas Vettel overtook Webber.
After the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP, fans have already made speculations about 2023 being a spicy year for the Red Bull teammates with David Croft, expecting a few banana skins down the roads for the two drivers.
Fans react to the 2013 Multi 21 incident as it completes a decade
As the unforgettable Multi 21 incident turns 10 years old today, Formula 1 fans and the F1 community take it to Twitter to celebrate the rivalry of former Red Bull drivers. Comparisons are drawn between current and former Red Bull drivers. Max is being compared to Sebastian mentioning if Max would’ve done the same as the German, he would’ve gotten a lot more backlash. There were many kinds of replies and here’s how they went:
And people think Max taking a fastest lap was bad…lol. Loved this from Seb.
— Danny (@DansbLFC) March 24, 2023
Imagine the scenes now if verstappen did this to perez in Jeddah
— PM21 (@whitebird2107) March 24, 2023
I always love how people bring down Max by saying Vettel was a real Champion for being kind/a gentleman etc…
Yeah, I think some people missed a few memo's😂
— Rose K🦁🧡 (@RoseK24206400) March 24, 2023
And then there are people who hate on max because he wanted to win and tried to get to perez and snatched the fastest lap at the end.
— DNVUS (@kaguraichi) March 24, 2023
There were fans who mentioned that the dynamic at Red Bull will remain the same and the Max-Sergio is just Mark-Sebastian Version 2.0
Before 'good uncle Seb' there was also this Seb. And it was brilliant!!!🥳Some people just forgot about it and now accuse Max about everything. Max + Checo are just Seb + Mark 2.0
— Jitulikaaa (@Jitulikaaa) March 24, 2023
It's a Redbull thing, same dynamic with Max & Sergio.
— At Henrietta's Disposal (@RTM_221B) March 24, 2023
Do you think we could see something similar to this with Sergio and Verstappen?
— Jarrod Rossell 🇦🇺 (@RossellJarrod) March 24, 2023
Would be surprised if we don't see a repeat of this, this season https://t.co/IJSGco7US3
— Jamez (@F1Jamez) March 24, 2023
Also, there were fans who asked Checo to tighten up his belt and to take notes from the Multi 21 incident. There were mentions of Verstappen learning a thing or two from Sebastian and repeating the incident in the upcoming race.
Checo get ready https://t.co/JZehXIPjnm
— ️️️️roadman (@badmanmontty) March 24, 2023
.@SChecoPerez take notes from this https://t.co/svI7xZOJF0
— Max ²²🏎 (@Formula_Max22) March 24, 2023
Max is 100% doing this next time, I need it, we need it. https://t.co/RtBCUUwGJA
— Chryst | AMR23 Lover (@Chryst2545) March 24, 2023
Many highlighted Sebastian Vettel’s winning mentality, calling him an elite and a champion
Champion mentality.
— Naman (@jameshunt_33) March 24, 2023
“ I was faster, I passed him, I won.” Elite mentality
— jeroen (@jeroen78635033) March 24, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
This is not even a knock on Vettel btw. It's a Champion's mentality.
— Rose K🦁🧡 (@RoseK24206400) March 24, 2023
With Red Bull looking well clear of the grid in terms of pace, Checo is the only one expected to challenge Verstappen in equal machinery. Whether he’s able to do is yet to be seen.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch this story: Max Verstappen: ‘Is my title tarnished? Not at all. I really deserved it’
Do you think Max and Sergio will have the same fate as Mark and Sebastian?