Sneaky teams busted by furious F1 boss

The F1’s send-off to the Sepang International Circuit, which will be scrapped from next year’s Grand Prix roster, had its fair share of controversy as Max Verstappen overtook championship leader Lewis Hamilton in the fourth lap to claim his second career victory.

And now Ferrari has a massive headache to deal with after a bizarre weekend which saw Kimi Raikkonen bow out of the race minutes before lights-out with a turbo issue. Scuderia top-dog Sebastian Vettel raced out of his skin from the back of the grid to take fourth place but had his car torn to shreds in a collision with youngster Lance Stroll in the victory lap.

The smash saw Vettel’s rear wheel end up on top of his car and his gearbox at risk of needing a replacement. If the four-time champion has to fit a new gearbox, the penalty will set him even further behind Hamilton as the pair fight over the 2017 title.

It was an eventful weekend, but the controversy has far from finished.

Force India chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer has shed light on a potential rule breach by rival teams before the race began.

Malaysia’s tropical climate means rain is always on the cards — and the wet weekend left the track damp as drivers approached the starting grid.

Szafnauer claimed teams were slyly using an illegal tactic to help their drivers’ grip.

“Half the cars on the grid were drying the circuit, which is not allowed, and we didn’t,” he told Motorsport.com.

“We actually followed the rules so when everyone else is drying the circuit they get a much better start than we do on the wet side of the grid.”

The annoyed Force India official singled out two-time champion Fernando Alonso’s team and assured he had made contact with the sport’s governing body.

“I think McLaren was one of the teams drying the grid,” he said.

“I haven’t talked to Charlie, but some of the other FIA members. I don’t know, they are bewildered by it. I don’t know what they are going to do.

“We pointed it out on the grid, that they were doing it. You’re not allowed to do it. Many cars did it and got a better start because of it. And than all that kind of stuff happens.”

STAR RESPONDS TO ‘F***ING LUNATIC’ FRACAS

British driver Jolyon Palmer found himself in an ugly spat with Kevin Magnussen midway through the Malaysian Grand Prix as the two drivers clashed wheels.

Magnussen called Palmer a “f***ing lunatic” as the Renault driver spun through his turns. Stewards didn’t take action over the potentially devastating blunder, a mistake Palmer has since owned up to.

“I had very hot rears from the spin and then spin-turning,” he told Motorsport.com. “I had Verstappen lap me and then pull right in front so I had no aero and I was trying to limit the loss from the spin already.

“That was an annoying one, it was ambitious trying to keep Kev behind after I spun once. It was just a mistake, I lost a lot of downforce when I had Max literally right in front.

“I only touched (Magnussen) when I spun. I’m pleased the stewards didn’t do anything.”