Sebastian Vettel will have a private talk at some point with Lewis Hamilton about the pair's clash in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Vettel  lost it behind Hamilton on the exit of Turn 16 when the four-time world champion believed he was brake-tested by the Mercedes driver as they prepared for a Safety Car restart.

Vettel pulled up alongside his rival and rammed the side of his car, a move which warranted a 10-second stop-and-go penalty by the stewards.

"I don't think that was his intention [to damage Vettel's front wing] because he's also risking damage to his car, and his race is over.

"Now is not the right time to talk. I'll do that just with him and clear it and move on. Maybe I'm not clever enough but I'm not complicated.

"I'm willing to sort it out with him, I don't think there's much to sort out." 

In addition to the race 10-second penalty, Vettel was also handed three penalty points on his licence, bringing his 12-month tally to 9, or just three points short of an effective race ban.

The German shrugged off the punishment however. 

"We're here to race. We're grown ups and people expect us to race and use our elbows, that's what people want.

"Here and there you might get a bit close but people want real overtaking not just us driving past.

"I enjoyed the race but I don't think it's the right thing that I got a penalty and he didn't."

GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

LAST CHANCE to enter our ULTIMATE TRACKDAY competition! FREE ENTRY HERE!

 

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Horner weighs in on explosive 2026 F1 engine controversy

Christian Horner has waded into Formula 1’s latest technical storm, addressing the growing controversy over…

58 mins ago

Newey: AI has been shaping F1 ‘for a long time’

Aston Martin’s chief architect and team principal Adrian Newey believes Formula 1’s latest buzzword is…

3 hours ago

Norris gets a pole-position welcome at old primary school

Fresh from pre-season testing and with a world title now stitched onto his racing overalls,…

4 hours ago

Two on the trot for Laffite and Ligier in Brazil

On this day in 1979, Jacques Laffite won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos as…

5 hours ago

Russell hungry for ‘head-to-head’ title clash with Verstappen

George Russell is not hiding his appetite for a showdown this season in F1. In…

6 hours ago

Vowles confident Williams won’t start F1 season ‘on the back foot’

Williams may have missed the first public glimpse of Formula 1’s bold new era, but…

7 hours ago