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          Andretti, Mansell and others baffled by Vettel's Canadian GP penalty

          • ESPN
          Jun 9, 2019, 06:58 PM ET

          The great and good of motor racing could not hide their shock at the controversial penalty that cost Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari victory at the Canadian Grand Prix.

          Vettel launched a scathing attack on the Montreal race stewards after being penalised for an incident with Lewis Hamilton on lap 48. Having run wide on track, Vettel rejoined the track into the path of Hamilton and forced the reigning world champion into evasive action.

          The stewards deemed that his return to the track was done in an "unsafe manner," but Vettel questioned afterward where else he could have gone.

          The overwhelming response on social media was against the decision. 1978 world champion Mario Andretti said it was "not acceptable" at the pinnacle of motor racing, and 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell called the episode "very very embarrassing." NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson called it "BS."

          Damon Hill, 1996 world champion, said it was worth comparing the events of Montreal to the legendary wheel-to-wheel battle between Gilles Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux at the 1979 French Grand Prix.