Vettel slams "suicidal" Kvyat for driving "like a crazy"

Sebastian Vettel has hit out at Daniil Kvyat following the Chinese Grand Prix, and angrily said he was "driving like a crazy", having earlier described the Russian's move at the start as "suicidal".

Kvyat jumped to third into the first corner, diving down the inside of Vettel, with the German then hitting his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and sending the Finn into a half spin.

Vettel eventually recovered to finish second, one place ahead of Kvyat, while Raikkonen having slipped right back had to settle for fifth.

Vettel was extremely vocal on the radio after the accident - and then again several times during the race - labelling Kvyat a "mad man" and apologising to the team for spoiling Raikkonen's race, although it should be pointed out the Red Bull driver did not come under investigation for the move.

It led to a tense exchange between Vettel and Kvyat prior to the podium, with the Russian beginning by asking: "What happened at the start?"

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

Daniil Kvyat:
"Well, I was..."

Sebastian Vettel:
"No well, you came like a torpedo."

Daniil Kvyat:
"I was racing, but..." [laughing, nervously?]

Sebastian Vettel:
"Yeah, but if I keep going the same line, we crash."

Daniil Kvyat:
"Well don't keep going..."

Sebastian Vettel:
"Yeah but there was a car on the left also, that's why I hit the other car..."

Daniil Kvyat:
"Oh yeah I can see all three cars? Man, come on! I have only two eyes, two cars."

Sebastian Vettel:
"We crash if you do that."

Daniil Kvyat:
"Well we didn't, so...."

Sebastian Vettel:
"No, you didn't! I know it's racing but you need to expect when you attack like a crazy you damage the car ... You were lucky this time. There was damage to Kimi."

Daniil Kvyat:
"I am on the podium, so it's okay, you are on the podium, fine."

The 'discussion' then continued on the podium, with Vettel appearing to soften slightly: "Obviously it is difficult to judge how it looks from his point of view. My start was not so great, so I was a bit on the backfoot into Turn 1. Then I think Kimi locked-up and went a bit wide. I wanted to go on the inside to overtake him and I think Danii was trying to do the same thing with me.

"But then Kimi came back and I was in the middle. Danii was coming with a lot of speed into that gap and I was very surprised. I had to steer left and at the same time Kimi was coming across and there was no way and we made contact. It is a shame because we don't want the same cars, the same colour, touching each other.

"In the end we were lucky because I could continue and he could continue, but surely not the best result for the team.

"I am very sorry for that."

Meanwhile, Kvyat continued to defend himself and while he agreed the move was "risky", said he would do it again.

"Well vice-versa to Seb I had a really good start and you know, you see the gap and you go for it on the inside. Usually you see one car, it is hard to spot both cars and yeah it was a risky move, I agree with Seb, but these kinds of moves can bring you a podium.

"I am on the podium, he is on the podium. It is fine and I will keep on risking like this and everyone should expect that," Kvyat emphasised..