Italians slam Vettel for ’flyover’ controversy

Italian officials have slammed quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel for criticising an aircraft flyover ahead of Sunday’s Italian GP.

The German driver was blasting the grid flyover of a commercial airliner and the aerobatic military ’Frecce Tricolori’, who spectacularly trailed smoke in the colours of the Italian flag.

"I heard that the president of Italy insisted on the flyover," former Ferrari driver Vettel said.

"He is about 100 years old, so maybe it is difficult for him to let go of this kind of ego-related thing.

"But we were promised that the flyovers were over, but it seems that F1 gave up despite the objectives we made to make the world a better place," he added.

Giuseppe Radaelli, the president of Monza circuit operator Sias, responded to Vettel’s stance.

"For the first time, the planes flew with 25 percent biofuel - an important experiment also for civil aviation," he is quoted by Il Giornale newspaper.

Geronimo La Russa, president of the automobile club di Milano, was even less impressed.

"I’m sorry that a former world champion, who also won his first grand prix in Monza, created a controversy as useless as this," he said.

"All he has to do now is apologise to President Mattarella and all Italians. I was taught that the president is respected, especially if you are a guest in a foreign country."