Verstappen owns up to China GP foul-up with Vettel

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Max Verstappen held himself accounatbel for the lap 43 tangle which involved the Red Bull driver and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.

Verstappen was brought back into contention after a Safety Car period bunched up the field and Red Bull pitted both its drivers for fresh soft tyres.

With team mate Daniel Ricciardo fighting for the lead up front, the Dutchman was eager to follow suit by taking full advantage of his softer rubber, but a bold maneuver down the inside of Vettel at the hairpin spun both men around.

Verstappen was hit with a 10-second time penalty by the stewards, a decision which the Red bull driver ultimately accepted.

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"I could see that he was struggling on the tyres, I tried to brake late into the corner and locked the rears a bit, and hit him, so that was of course my fault.

"It's not waht you want and of course it's easy to say afterwards that I should have waited, it probably would have been the best idea, but unfortunately it happened."

As drivers parked their cars in the parc fermé, Verstappen and Vettel had a brief chat about their encounter, the outcome of which satisfied both men.

The 20-year-old dismissed however the suggestion that perhaps he needed to calm down, but he did admit that he would go away and have a look at the incident, and analyse what could be taken away.

"We've all been in that position, so as drivers we can talk about this," he added.

"At the moment it's not going the way I like of course, but does it really mean I have to calm down, I don't think so.

"It's just very unfortunate those things happening. I just need to analyse everything and try to come back stronger for the next race."

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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.