Lauda critical of 'utterly silly' Kvyat
Triple world champion Niki Lauda found it hard to keep his good manner when he was asked about the incident between Sebastian Vettel and Daniil Kvyat. Ferrari’s team principal Maurizio Arrivabene also called Kvyat’s action unacceptable.
The Russian driver crashed into Ferrari’s star driver at the start which sent Vettel into Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull. The Ferrari was damaged after those multiple contacts, but the quadruple champion was able to carry on. Kvyat found Vettel again in the next corner and sent him into the wall.
Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda hails Vettel’s behaviour.
“If I were Vettel, I would kill him,” Lauda is quoted as saying to SkySport.
“Horrible. He can not drive all over the place with utter silliness.”
Even if Vettel is not his driver, the accident made Lauda angry.
“Vettel did everything alright. Kvyat crashed into him from behind. He couldn’t have done that sillier and more annoying.”
The outspoken Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene was also shocked after the race that he could hardly find words to describe his feelings.
“He hit him (Vettel) two times. You can accept it for the first time, but not for the second time. He was penalized, but it is not acceptable,” concluded the Italian.
Kvyat himself accepted the blame for the incident that delivered him 3 penalty points on his super license, and a 10 second stop-and-go penalty during the race.
"I’m sorry for Sebastian and also to the team as we gave away a lot of points today from both my side and Daniel’s. It doesn’t feel great, this is probably the messiest first lap of my career.”
Kvyat and Vettel already had an argument at the Bahrain GP, where Vettel believed the Russian was too aggressive on the start.
