Vettel sanctioned for briefing walkout

Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin has been handed a suspended $US25,000 ($A36,460) fine for storming out of the Formula One drivers’ briefing at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Governing body FIA says the incident happened on Friday, when the German left the drivers’ meeting “without permission, and expressing frustration at the meeting.

It continued, saying that drivers are “not free to leave when they want, this being a breach of the requirement to attend.

“Drivers at this level are role models for every driver around the world and in the opinion of the stewards Vettel failed to live up to that standard in this case.”

According to media reports, tensions flared over the current implementation of rules and officiating.

Vettel was summoned by FIA after the sprint race. The stewards ordered a fine of $US25,000, which is suspended for the remainder of the 2022 season, subject to a breach of the body’s sporting code.

FIA also said Vettel had apologised to the race director “without reservation” and they had “a very constructive conversation.”

Along with George Russell of Mercedes, Vettel has been the director of the F1 drivers union GPDA since 2010.