Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Sebastian Vettel crashed out of the Russian Grand Prix after a first lap collision with the Red Bull of Daniil Kyvat on Sunday.
Vettel’s Ferrari appeared to suffer a puncture and spun into the crash barriers on lap three after Kyvat went into the back of him twice.
The incident will fuel the bad blood between the pair after Vettel accused the Russian of being “a madman” after a first corner incident in the Chinese Grand Prix.
“Somebody hit me on turn one, then the same guy hit me on turn three, honestly, what are we doing here?” an exasperated Vettel said over the team radio, before adding an expletive.
He cut a forlorn figure, picking up the front wing of his stricken Ferrari and sticking it in the cockpit before commandeering a scooter and riding it back to the pits.
Back in the pits he told Sky Sports television: “I got a big hit, lucky not to spin on turn two, then got another hit and couldn’t avoid hitting the barrier.
“These things happen, doesn’t help me because I’m here and the race is still happening.”
Kyvat picked up a ten second drive through penalty as punishment for his wayward driving.
Vettel has not enjoyed the best of starts to 2016, his Bahrain Grand Prix hopes going up in smoke before the race even got underway when his Ferrari packed up on the warm up lap.
Also out in separate incidents on a chaotic first lap in Sochi were Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Manor’s Indonesian rookie Rio Haryanto.
After the appearance of the safety car the race restarted with Mercedes pole sitter Nico Rosberg leading and his teammate and world champion Lewis Hamilton up from 10th to third by lap 19.
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