Vettel's heated post-race exchange with Kvyat

Sebastian Vettel vented his anger at Daniil Kvyat before going on the podium following the Chinese Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver had complained about Kvyat's move at Turn 1 at the start of the race over team radio having swerved to the left and hit team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. Despite seeming more calm following the end of the race as he apologised to Ferrari over the radio, Vettel - who finished second - then confronted third-placed Kvyat in the drivers' room.

Read the full transcript of the exchange below:

Kvyat: “What happened at the start?”

Vettel: [shouting] “You, asking what happened at the start!? If I don’t go to the left you crash into us and we all three go into us.”

Kvyat: “Well…”

Vettel: “No well, you came like a torpedo.”

Kvyat: [Laughing] “I was racing.”

Vettel: “Yeah racing, but if I keep going the same line, we crash.”

Kvyat: “Well keep going…”

Vettel: “Well there was a car on the left also, that’s why…”

Kvyat: “Oh yeah I can see all the three cars, man, come on! I have only two eyes, two cars.”

Vettel: “We crash if you do that.”

Kvyat: “Well we didn’t.”

Vettel: “No, you didn’t! I know it’s racing but you need to attack like a crazy you can damage the car … You were lucky this time. There was damage to Kimi.”

Kvyat: “I am on the podium, so it’s OK, you are on the podium.”

REPORT: Rosberg cruises home ahead of chaos in China

Relive the Chinese Grand Prix lap-by-lap as it happened!

Eric Silbermann has breakfast with photographer Crispin Thruston

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

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.

Recent Posts

Through one lens: Twelve photographs from the 2025 F1 season

  Lewis Hamilton: Australian GP – Albert Park Lewis Hamilton’s very first Grand Prix weekend…

13 hours ago

Two Formula 1 racers born on Christmas day

One driver has a hugely famous name, the other is a special Grand Prix winner,…

15 hours ago

Red with purpose – It’s time for Ferrari to bring it home

As the Ferrari factory in Maranello glows in festive crimson, a sense of anticipation hums…

1 day ago

Norris reveals the quirky private moment his F1 title finally sunk in

Lando Norris had just done the hardest thing in motorsport – winning the Formula 1…

2 days ago

Howden Ganley, McLaren's third-ever employee

A veteran of 41 Grands Prix starts, Howden Ganley - seen here above hitting a…

2 days ago

Leclerc’s ‘naughty’ Christmas gift leaves Russell ‘lost for words’

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc may not have ended the season with a silver trophy in hand,…

2 days ago