Sebastian Vettel will start the F1 Italian Grand Prix fourth after a bizarre qualifying traffic jam prevented the German from taking a second attempt at a qualifying time Saturday. Meanwhile Mercedes boss Toto Wolff branded the scene as “not worthy of Formula 1”.

One of many drivers to get caught out by a very slow paced out lap towards the end of qualifying, Vettel failed to reach the line before the checkered flag fell to signify the end of the session. Watching teammate Charles Leclerc take pole on the home soil of Ferrari having secured the team’s first win of the season last time out in Belgium, Vettel was fuming.

“I was trying to get through, but people were – I think it was a McLaren and a Renault blocking the road,” said Vettel. “I’m not happy with how it went. Obviously, we didn’t make it to get a second attempt, like many others, but I though internally, we had a better way that we communicated this.

“I was the one out front alone on the first run and I shouldn’t have been the one out front on the second run which, because of the last corner (when Leclerc passed me), I wasn’t, but at that point I was too close anyway, plus the session was over so I couldn’t even make it to start the lap.

“I can’t be happy with that so, not what we intended to do.”

Having watched his drivers take second and third on the grid, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stood red-faced in front of the cameras as he admitted that the way qualifying ended was an embarrassment for the sport.

“Everybody who was out at the front at some stage (is culpable). (Nico) Hulkenberg, leading the pack out and then going through the chicane, and then some of the other cars reducing the speed.

“Once you are out (of the garage), you are out. Not worthy of Formula 1.”

Source: Autoweek