Vettel angry after first lap shunt

Sebastien Vettel`s dismal start to the season continued at Bahrain when the 20-year-old German was involved in a collision on the first lap for the second time in three races.

The Scuderia Toro Rosso driver has yet to finish a race in 2008, having crashed in Australia and suffering an engine failure in Malaysia.

“I had a really good start this time after not so good ones in the previous two races,” he said. “I was off like a rocket and I was able to pass two or three cars. Then going into first corner, when I was in the inside, I was blocked.

“We were really tight and I collided with a Force India. My front wing was a bit damaged but this was not the main problem, which came in Turn Four when someone arriving from the inside hit me on the rear right, causing the big damage that forced me to retire.

“I do not know who he was and what he wanted to do. It`s really disappointing as we could have had a good race, but we will try again next time.”

Teammate Sebastien Bourdais finished 15th, and while the Frenchman didn`t have the pace to make an impact on the top ten, the four-time Champ Car title holder was pleased to make it to the flag for the first time in his Formula One career.

“I did the best I could trying to drive as consistently as possible, making no mistakes,” he said. “For a while I had a problem with the brakes. On the plus side, I have completed another race distance, feeling fine at the end of it, which is satisfying.

“But at the end of the day, I qualified fifteenth and finished fifteenth. Maybe we did not make the best tyre choice for the start as I was very slow, but as soon as we switched to the option, it was much more competitive.

“A trouble free race, a race with not much excitement either, but a useful experience.”

6.4.2008   ▪ Formula One    ▪ Vettel    ▪ www.autosport.com