Vettel blames Hamilton, but experts blame the German driver

The four-time champion German said he felt championship leader Hamilton did not leave him enough room when the pair clashed at the second chicane.

The collision resulted in Vettel spinning his Ferrari and damaging the front wing while Hamilton's car survived undamaged and he went on to win the race and increase his championship lead to 30 points.

"Lewis saw a little bit around the outside, but he didn't leave me any space," said Vettel. "I had no other chance, but to run into him and make contact.

"It is a bit ironic that it was that way. I tried to pass Kimi and then he came. I left him space, but it was me who was the one who spun around.

"He didn't leave me any space. There was no option. I made contact and I was spun around. Then we were at the back and had to come back."

After calling into the pits, Vettel fought back through the field to finish fourth, partly thanks to Max Verstappen of Red Bull taking a five-second time penalty for a brush with Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes. 

The result leaves Vettel trailing Hamilton by 30 points in the drivers’ championship with seven races remaining.

He said the result was a blow to morale and was especially tough for the fans.

But he added: "It's not like I won't wake up tomorrow. It's deflating, but we couldn't do it."

The race stewards investigated and ruled the crash a normal "racing incident" that merited no further action.

Experienced paddock observers and media pundits agreed that Hamilton was not to blame.

His former team-mate, 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, said it was entirely Vettel's fault.

"I think it was 100 percent Sebastian's fault," Rosberg told Sky F1. "Lewis left him enough room.

"Over and over, he keeps making these mistakes and that's not how you are going to beat Lewis Hamilton to a world championship."

The 1996 champion Damon Hill said the German had "cracked under pressure."