Vettel: No need to further analyse Singapore GP crash
Ferrari Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel says he feels no need to look at his Singapore GP start crash any further, intimating that it will not change his approach.
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF70H, Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF70H, crash out at the start
Andrew Hone / Motorsport Images
Vettel was poised to retake the drivers' standings lead from rival Lewis Hamilton after qualifying on pole in Singapore, but suffered a major setback to his title hopes instead – exiting the race after a crash involving teammate Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
While the stewards ruled that nobody was predominantly to blame for the incident, Verstappen believed Vettel was at fault for chopping across to defend his lead – while many others have questioned whether the German's aggressive defence was prudent given his title prospects.
Asked on Thursday at Sepang whether the Singapore incident would prompt a change in approach, Vettel said: "I don't think it is necessary to discuss it. With things like this happening, what can you do?
"If obviously you have a major problem with the car, or if you have done a major mistake, then it is a different story.
"If there is something you need to change, then you need to react quickly to make sure that it doesn't happen again, then it might be a different story."
He described the incident as "part of racing" and said it would be a waste to spend any more energy reflecting on it.
"It would have been different if I had lost the car somewhere in the race, then it is obviously different," Vettel said.
"We did our start, everyone was trying to do his start, and then it ended up pretty bad for all three of us.
"It is part of racing. These things, they happen, not much you can do - so therefore not much point to try and look at them again and again.
"It is better if your time and energy is spent looking forward."
Vettel was confident that the events of Singapore would not be playing on his mind at the start of the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix.
"Every start is different and the way Singapore happened you can look at it again and again, it is done. It was pretty unfortunate for all three of us, so we have to move on.
"I am pretty sure – I can't promise you now what will be in my mind on Sunday when I leave the grid – but probably I never thought about the last race so I am pretty sure I will be focused on what I will do on this start on Sunday."
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble
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