Sebastian Vettel causes first lap chaos after crashing into Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton wins

NIKI Lauda has criticised Sebastian Vettel for destroying everyone’s race after the Ferrari driver caused chaos on the opening lap of the French Grand Prix. WATCH HIGHLIGHTS.

TOPSHOT - The car of Ferrari's Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen (R) is seen after a crash as Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel (C) leads during the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix in Singapore on September 17, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANAN VATSYAYANA

SEBASTIAN Vettel collided with Valtteri Bottas on the opening lap of Sunday’s French Grand Prix in an accident that triggered the immediate use of a safety car.

Vettel’s Ferrari hit the left rear wheel of Bottas’s Mercedes smashing off his own rear wing and leaving the Finn with a punctured left rear tyre.

Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton made a clean start, steered clear of the incident and went on to win the first first French Grand Prix in a decade and retake the overall championship lead from Vettel.

It was the 65th of Hamilton’s F1 career but the Briton’s first in France, which last hosted a race in 2008.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland, centre, spins around after coming into contact with Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Chaos on the opening lap in France

“Great work guys! I’m so happy for England as well,” he said over the team radio, referring to the nation’s 6-1 World Cup group win over Panama.

“It’s a beautiful Sunday, everyone.”

Hamilton, who started on pole position, now leads Vettel by 14 points after eight of 21 races.

The Briton has 145 and the German 131.

Dutch 20-year-old Max Verstappen took the chequered flag in second with Kimi Raikkonen passing Vettel and completing the podium for Ferrari.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fourth.

Disaster on turn 1 ... Collision between vettel and bottas ...#FrenchGP #Vettel #Bottas #F1 pic.twitter.com/Nhvt7ts4mE

— Akash Gajendran (@akash_gajendran) June 24, 2018

Cars crash at the start of the Formula One Grand Prix de France

Vettel regretted that he “had lost the race on the first lap”.

“My start was too good,” he said.

“Then I ended up with nowhere to go.

“It was my mistake, I tried to brake early and get out of it, but I had no room and no grip, being so close to the car in front and also next to me.”

Hamilton was one of many voices claiming the five-second penalty for Vettel was soft.

“It’s a shame, we had a chance for a one-two (finish),” Hamilton said.

“I mean we are all going into Turn 1 as hard as you could, but when someone destroys your race through an error, it is kind of a tap on the hand.”

But Hamilton then added: “Those things happen.”

“I thought I was going to get rear-ended,” he said.

“(But) we are all fighting for world championships. We are not twiddling around.”

WATCH: A dramatic start to the French GP as Vettel hits Bottas
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Mercedes non-executive director Niki Lauda also voiced his surprise.

“Why Vettel gets only five seconds for this enormous mistake I don’t understand,” the three-time world champion said.

“It’s too little. Five seconds is nothing. He destroyed the whole race for himself and for Bottas.”

In another incident at turn three on the opening lap, Pierre Gasly of Toro Rosso collided with fellow Frenchman Esteban Ocon of Force India.

Both crashes were under immediate investigation by the stewards.

Vettel also hit another French driver Romain Grosjean of Haas, but continued.

Both Bottas and Vettel attempted to bring their damaged cars back to the pits.

Who is facing the right way?

“That first corner was nothing to do with me, right?” asked Hamilton on Mercedes team radio.

“It all happened behind you,” came the response, as the cars continued to circulate slowly.

None of the drivers were hurt in the incidents.

Hamilton had never before won in France and his victory at Le Castellet, a southern circuit that last hosted Formula One in 1990, set a record for the most wins at different grands prix.

He had shared the record of 22 with retired seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher. He also extended his record of wins at different circuits to 26.

Another look 👀

Bottas spins round after being tagged by Vettel 😬#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/oYhc2CTuDq

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 24, 2018

The car of Toro Rosso's French driver Pierre Gasly is transported off the track

RESULTS

1. Lewis Hamilton, England, Mercedes, 53 laps, 1:30:11.385, 25.

2. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer, 53, +7,090, 18.

3. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Ferrari, 53, +25.888, 15.

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer, 53, +34.736, 12.

5. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 53, , 1:01.935, 10.

6. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Hass Ferrari, 53, +1:19.364, 8.

7. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 53, +1:20.632, 6.

8. Carlos Sainz, Spain, Renault, 53, +1:27:184, 4.

9. Nico Hulkenberg, Germany, Renault, 53, +1:31.989, 2

10 Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Sauber Ferrari, 52, +1:33.873, 1.

11. Romain Grosjean, France, Hass Ferrari, 52, +1 lap.

12. Stoffel Vandoorne, Belgium, McLaren Renault, 52, +1 lap.

13. Marcus Ericsson, Sweden, Sauber Ferrari, 52, +1 lap.

14. Brendon Hartley, New Zealand, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 52, +1 lap.

15. Sergey Sirotkin, Russia, Williams Mercedes, 52, +1 lap.

16. Fernando Alonso, Spain, McLaren Renault, 50, DNF.

17. Lance Stroll, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 48, DNF.

18. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Force India Mercedes, 27, DNF.

19. Esteban Ocon, France, Force India Mercedes, 0, DNF.

20. Pierre Gasly, France, Toro Rosso Honda, 0, DNF.

“My start was too good and I was left with nowhere to go. It was my fault, I tried to brake early,” says Vettel of the clash with Bottas
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— Sky Sports F1 🏎 (@SkySportsF1) June 24, 2018

STANDINGS

1. Lewis Hamilton, 145.

2. Sebastian Vettel, 131.

4. Daniel Ricciardo, 96.

4. Valtteri Bottas, 92.

5. Kimi Raikkonen, 83.

6. Max Verstappen, 68.

7. Nico Hulkenberg, 34.

8. Fernando Alonso, 32.

9. Carlos Sainz, 28.

10. Kevin Magnussen, 27.

11. Pierre Gasly, 18.

12. Sergio Perez, 17.

13. Esteban Ocon, 11.

14. Charles Leclerc, 11.

15. Stoffel Vandoorne, 8.

16. Lance Stroll, 4.

17. Marcus Ericsson, 2.

18. Brendon Hartley, 1.

TEAMS

1. Mercedes GP, 237.

2. Ferrari, 214.

3. Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer, 164.

4. Renault, 62.

5. McLaren Renault, 40.

6. Force India Mercedes, 28.

7. Haas Ferrari, 27.

8. Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 19.

9. Sauber Ferrari, 13.

10. Williams Mercedes, 4.