Sebastian Vettel's reputation has been tarnished after he deliberately swerved into Lewis Hamilton during Sunday's incident-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Niki Lauda, the non-executive chairman of Mercedes-GP has claimed.
Four-time champion Vettel was punished by the stewards for his moment of madness during a chaotic race here in Baku.
Daniel Ricciardo claimed both his, and Red Bull's, first victory of the new season, but the spotlight was firmly on Vettel last night after he banged wheels with his title rival.
Vettel adjudged Hamilton to have brake-tested him during the second of three Safety Car periods in a frenetic race on the streets of Azerbaijan's capital city.
After he rammed Hamilton from behind at Turn 16, the German then pulled alongside his British rival before gesticulating with both hands and slamming into Hamilton's car.
Vettel, who finished fourth and extended his lead over Hamilton in the championship race after the latter was forced into an unscheduled pit stop following a problem with his headrest, protested his innocence.
But the stewards took Hamilton's side, hitting Vettel with a stop-and-go penalty and latterly three points on his licence.
Three-time world champion Lauda, the non-executive chairman at Mercedes, was asked whether Vettel's reputation had been tainted following the dramatic incident on lap 19.
"Sure," a definitive Lauda replied. "He freaked out in himself.
"When you hit somebody ... it is your fault. No question. But then to drive next to him and hit him on purpose, I have never seen anything like this.
"To do that I don't understand. Vettel is a decent guy normally. This I don't understand. He is crazy. Lewis will hit him one day. Not with the car but with his fist."
Indeed Hamilton, now 14 points adrift of his championship rival after he crossed the line only fifth, was furious with Vettel's actions branding the German a "disgrace", while also suggesting he take on his rival "out of the car, face-to-face".
Hamilton added that it would be unlikely that he would be discussing the incident with Vettel before the next race of the season, the Austrian Grand Prix, on July 9.
The triple world champion said: "Firstly, he doesn't have my number," said Hamilton. "I'm just going to do my talking on the track, that's most important for me.
"I've heard of what he's said after the race. I need some time to reflect on it all, but I think ultimately what happened was disrespectful."
Hamilton defended his own driving in the incident, and reiterated that he was worried about the precedent that Vettel's driving could set.
"If I had had any ill intent in terms of my driving towards him, brake testing, whatever it may be, I still think it's not deserving of that kind of reaction from someone - that person you do have respect for and always showed it on the track.
"That's the kind of thing you see in go-karts, which you learn from not doing in karts.
"I hope that kids don't see that in F2 and GP3 and think that's the right way.
"That's not how you drive. And that's not an answer to any situation or issue you have."
* Agencies
