Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the team considers Sebastian Vettel's clash with Lewis Hamilton "a closed chapter" after the FIA opted against handing the Ferrari driver another penalty.
On Monday, the FIA made its announcement on the incident which saw Vettel swipe Hamilton's car in anger after the pair had made contact during a Safety Car period. The German received a ten-second stop-go penalty in the race and three points on his superlicence, moving him closer to a one-race ban.
Vettel avoided further punishment after apologising and taking full responsibility to the incident in a meeting with the FIA in Paris. Wolff is happy to draw a line under the incident and adds the team's focus has been on solving the headrest issue which forced Hamilton into a pit stop which cost him a race victory.
"Every great Formula One season is marked by a great rivalry," he said. "Last year it was our internal battle between Lewis and Nico [Rosberg] and this year it seems that the fight is on between Ferrari and Mercedes and Lewis and Sebastian. As calm as it started, it was only a matter of time until the rivalry would eventually become more fierce and controversial. That moment happened in Baku and we saw the results of that tension on track.
"We have moved passed that moment now and it is a closed chapter. The hearing on Monday was between the FIA and Sebastian and it reached the conclusion we have all seen. Our focus since Baku has been on our own shortcomings, reviewing both the design and procedures around our headrest which cost Lewis the win two weeks ago."
Wolff thinks it is good for F1 that there is such a heated battle at the front between two of motor racing's great names.
"There is great respect between Mercedes and Ferrari, two iconic motor racing brands, not only because of the challenging battle on track but because we are pushing for the same goal: to see Formula One flourish. The new owners could hardly have asked for a better start to this new era than this epic battle between Mercedes and Ferrari. Add to the mix a Red Bull team that can win as well and it makes Formula One into a great spectacle."
