Kvyat and Red Bull apologise to Ferrari’s Vettel for crash

Kvyat misjudged his braking point and hit the back of the red car twice on the opening lap to leave Vettel in the wall and fuming.

“There was a bit going on,” said Kvyat by way of explanation. “I think in the last moment I didn’t expect it (the Ferrari) to slow so much. 

“All the mess came from me,” he added. “Of course it doesn’t feel great but these things happen sometimes. It’s probably the messiest (start) of my career. I will learn from it, and of course apologies to everyone involved. 

“Everyone will attack me, but I’m okay with that,” said the Russian, who had been branded a ‘madman’ by Vettel for an overtake at the previous race in China that triggered a collision between the Ferrari drivers. 

Vettel, who won his four world titles with Red Bull before departing to Ferrari and allowing Kvyat to graduate from sister team Toro Rosso, went to have a word with Red Bull principal Christian Horner when he returned to the pit lane. 

Horner accepted that his driver, who was handed a 10-second stop/go penalty by the stewards, was at fault.

“The bottom line is he misjudged it, he hit the back of Seb, that concertinaed into Daniel and that was pretty much the end of our afternoon, unfortunately,” he said.