Mark Webber has slammed "wild" Sebastian Vettel after the Toro Rosso youngster took him out of the Japanese GP.
Disastrous Japanese Grand Prix for rival Red Bull teams
Mark Webber has slammed "wild" Sebastian Vettel after the Toro Rosso youngster took him out of the Japanese GP.
With the safety car on track following Fernando Alonso's lap 42 accident, Webber and Vettel were both enjoying strong races respectively lying in second and third places.
Both had also led the race at some stage, but Red Bull's afternoon took a distinct turn for the worse when, weaving to warm his tyres ahead of the restart, Vettel slid into the back of Webber..
With such a strong showing ruined, Webber was predictably furious - the Australian throwing his steering wheel in anger before climbing out of his car.
"That was a completely disastrous finish. We were in very, very good shape to challenge Lewis (Hamilton) for first today," he said.
"We were strong and I didn't make any mistakes despite the tricky conditions, cars were aquaplaning and the visibility was very poor. Fernando's crash caused the second safety car stint, which bunched everyone back up again.
"That wasn't great; I would have liked to have continued to the end of the race.
"Vettel was a bit wild behind me during the first Safety Car period and then did a very good job of hitting me very hard under the second safety car. I think today he will have learnt a very valuable lesson."
Having started eighth on the grid - immediately behind Webber - the 20-year-old German recounted: "I made a good start and the race was going well.
"Then, with the final safety car, I was behind Lewis and Mark and exiting turn 13, I looked to the right and saw Lewis going really slowly, I don't know why, but I thought he had a problem. Probably he was heating his brakes.
"Then, by the time I looked forward again, I was already in the back of Mark's car and I think he had also reacted to Lewis. I apologise now to Mark because I ruined both our races."
Nevertheless, both teams still recorded their best results of the season, with David Coulthard finishing fourth for Red Bull and Vitantonio Liuzzi claiming Toro Rosso's first point of 2007 with eighth.
