Lewis Hamilton warns Sebastian Vettel to stay out of his way after Formula One car clash during Sunday’s Grand Prix
Ferrari driver Vettel claims he will seek out Hamilton for talks but Mercedes star is not interested in the offer
LEWIS HAMILTON has warned "disgusting" and "disrespectful" Sebastian Vettel to keep out of his way.
The furious F1 ace is still livid after the German used his F1 car to ram into him during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday.
Vettel received a pathetic ten-second stop-and-go penalty from the race stewards for the dangerous manoeuvre that should have seen him disqualified.
Cowardly Vettel refused to even acknowledge the incident took place in a bizarre attempt to escape further scrutiny.
The four-time world champion then conceded that he needed to clear the air with Hamilton - but the 32-year-old is not interested in hearing his excuses.
Hamilton, who has recently taken up boxing and has studied karate in the past, has fired a warning to Vettel.
He said: "I don't fancy seeing him. It might turn into something else!"
When Hamilton was told that Vettel was planning to seek him out in private to calm their relationship down, he added: "Firstly, he doesn't have my number.
"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've not come out of the race pointing the finger or said anything. It is what it is.
"It happened, I don't think it was right but the biggest thing for me was that I lost the race through the headrest issue.
"All I'm thinking of is, 'Get my head together'. I want to kill it for the next 12 races to go. I want to win the next 12 races."
Slippery Vettel dodged questions about driving into Hamilton and instead chose to focus on when he accidentally drove into the back of him behind the safety car.
Still maintaining his innocence he said: "I don't have a problem with him. I respect him a lot for the driver he is.
"Now is not the right time to talk. I'll do that just with him and clear it and move on. I'm willing to sort it out with him, I don't think there's much to sort out."
But Hamilton is in no doubt that he has nothing to say to the German as their rivalry in the title race exploded.
Despite Vettel's time penalty, Hamilton's headrest came unattached meaning he was forced to make an extra pitstop and finished behind Vettel in fifth place.
And he also angrily denied Vettel's claim that he was brake-tested by Hamilton, a theory that was also ruled out after the sport's governing body (FIA) reviewed their car's telemetry data.
Top three driver bust-ups in F1 history
Hamilton v Rosberg, Spanish GP 2016
The two Mercedes drivers collided on the first lap in Barcelona in spectacular style. Hamilton tried a bold move up the inside, but Rosberg closed the gap and pushed him wide onto the grass. It sent Hamilton spinning into his team-mate and they both crashed out.
Webber v Vettel, Turkish GP 2010
One of many bust-ups between the two Red Bull drivers. Vettel and Webber ran side-by-side in Turkey before they eventually crashed into each other. Both cars were eliminated from the race and their relationship was left in tatters.
Schumacher v Hill, Australian GP 1994
Michael Schumacher sent championship-rival Damon Hill out of the season-finale in Adelaide. Schumacher crashed into Hill's Williams, forcing him out of the race. Both retired allowing Schumacher to controversially win the title.
Hamilton added: "I need some time to reflect on it all, but I think ultimately what happened was disrespectful.
"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."
Hamilton also ruled out any suggestion that Vettel could have lost control of his Ferrari while gesticulating and not intended for their cars to touch.
My View (Ben Hunt, SunSport F1 reporter)
LET me get one thing straight before I start.
I am a fan of Sebastian Vettel. I respect him as a driver, admired his dedication and application to F1 and still think he works harder than any other driver in the paddock.
That said, his actions in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix were that of a coward.
I am not referring to the moment he used his F1 car as a weapon to drive into Lewis Hamilton, for that is a straight black-flag offence that should have seen him severely punished by the race stewards.
What was cowardly was his reluctance to face the music and admit what he had done was indefensible.
It was not only cowardly, but also embarrassing as Vettel was quizzed about driving into Hamilton for a second time, yet bizarrely he could only remember the first incident.
It was bamboozling too that even Ferrari's Maurizio Arrivabene would have the cheek to suggest that the race stewards' decisions "were not entirely clear, never worked in favour of our team".
Now, we all make mistakes. It is part of life, but true champions have the ability to turn round and admit when they are wrong.
Vettel's failure to even acknowledge that he drove into Hamilton for a second time -- while gesticulating in his direction -- is simply laughable and indefensible.
He said: "We're world champions, we're the best drivers in the world.
"Maybe if you're going down the road in your road car and you put your hand out the window and you do this, you might swerve to the right.
"But we don't do that. We've been racing for years, you just don't do that."
Vettel is still waiting to discover if he faces further punishment from the FIA for deliberate dangerous driving which clearly breaks the sport's rules.
My View (Lennart Wermke, BILD F1 reporter)
Let me make things clear right from the start: Even among us Krauts in Germany, there's just nobody trying to defend what Sebastian Vettel did to Lewis Hamilton in Baku.
Driving into somebody on purpose is a No-go in F1, certainly not by a four-time world champion.
But I have a different interpretation on what might be the case why Sebastian did so. Some said it was revenge for Lewis slowing down in front of him, but I think, his attack was more of a warning.
Vettel had a close look on the last year's battles between Nico Rosberg and Lewis. It took Nico three years to finally find a way to beat Lewis.
Sebastian goes for a different approach. He hits back the hardest way he can right from the start.
He wants to show Mercedes and Hamilton that he's ready for what could now become the hardest fight for a championship in ages.
Meanwhile, Mercedes chairman, Niki Lauda, who had a notorious battle with James Hunt for the 1976 world title, claims the German simply "freaked out".
He said: "He freaked out in himself. When you hit somebody up the arse, 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."