Sebastian Vettel rages at Kvyat after Russian GP first-lap crash
Thursday 19 May 2016 11:39, UK
Sebastian Vettel launched an expletive-laden outburst over Ferrari team radio after being punted out of the Russian GP by Daniil Kvyat.
The two drivers clashed at the Chinese GP and were in the wars again on the first lap at Sochi when Kvyat, who succeeded Vettel at Red Bull, twice hit the rear of the German's car.
After crashing into the wall, a furious Vettel repeatedly swore over team radio before commandeering a marshal's motorbike to return to the pits, where he confronted Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the team's pitwall.
"All I could do was apologise because this week it was a mistake by Daniil Kvyat," Horner told Sky Sports F1.
"Danii just misjudged his braking spot. Emotions run high, in his home race I think he has just gone for too much too soon at the start."
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Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene thundered: "Once is acceptable but to hit him twice is unacceptable."
Vettel has failed to finish two of the opening four races of the season and already trails Nico Rosberg by 67 points in the standings.
"You saw more than me, it's fairly clear," Vettel told Sky Sports F1 after his retirement. "I got a big hit and was lucky not to spin into Turn Two, then another huge hit which turned me around and I couldn't avoid hitting the barriers.
"There's nothing I could have done differently. If anybody needs to talk to anybody, I think it's him."
While Kvyat pleaded his innocence in Shanghai after enraging Vettel with an aggressive move into the first corner, he was adjudged to have been at fault in Sochi with the Russian driver handed a drive-through penalty by the stewards.
"It is easy now to attack me and I guess everyone will, but I don't really care about that," said Kvyat.
"The second touch he slowed down a lot and I didn't have time to react. I apologise to everyone that is involved. I think we have to speak, we have to talk."
It's understood that Kvyat subsequently phoned Vettel - who left the circuit before his scheduled media appearance - to offer an apology.
