Vettel won't change tactics

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel says his Singapore GP crash was "part of racing" and will not prompt him to change his tactics on the grid.

Vettel, his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen were all forced to retire following the incident on the first corner of the Singapore GP, where Vettel seemed to cut across Verstappen's racing line after a slow start from the grid at Marina Bay.

Race officials examined the incident but opted not to punish Vettel, although Verstappen was adamant that the German was to blame and said his rival "was not too clever" in an interview following the race.

Asked whether the crash would persuade him to change his approach ahead of Sunday's Malaysian GP at Sepang, which is live on eir Sport 1 [race time 8am], 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."

Vettel, who led the drivers championship by seven points going into the Italian GP on 3 September, now trails Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton by 28 points following the Briton's three successive victories in Belgium, Italy and Singapore.

But the four-time world champion insists he won't let Singapore affect his focus on the starting grid for Sunday's Malaysian GP.

"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," Vettel continued.

"Every start is different. 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 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 [at other starts] so I am pretty sure I will be focused on what I will do on this start on Sunday."

The Malaysia Grand Prix at the Sepang international circuit will be shown live over the weekend of 29 September-1 October on eir Sport in Ireland. The race is live on eir Sport 1 on Sunday, 1 October [race time 8am]

Photo Getty Images/Mark Thompson

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