Vettel would do it again!

Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel made clear on Wednesday that his apology to Red Bull for ignoring team orders at the Malaysian Grand Prix did not extend to any remorse about winning.

"I told the team straight after that 'I apologise for putting myself above the team which I didn't mean to do'," the 25-year-old German said in an interview for team title sponsor Infiniti ahead of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

"There's not much more to say really. I don't apologise for winning. I think that's why people employed me in the first place and why I'm here. I love racing so that's what I do."

Vettel was told to stay behind leading Australian team-mate Mark Webber at last month's race at Sepang, with both drivers asked to ease off to save their tyres and fuel to ensure a one-two finish.

Webber was incensed when Vettel disregarded the instruction to hold position and overtook, giving his team mate the cold shoulder after the race once he had reminded him of the coded instruction 'Multi-21'.

Team principal Christian Horner has explained that 'Multi-21' refers to car two (Webber) preceding car one (Vettel). The order 'Multi-21' would have been issued in the other one-two scenario.

The spat between the team-mates, whose rivalry has had some notable flare-ups over the years including a collision in Turkey while fighting for the lead in 2010, is likely to be still simmering this weekend despite the team trying to move on.

Vettel who had previously apologised, maintained that he heard the coded order from the team not to overtake Webber late in the race, but says he didn’t understand it. And he said in any case Webber “didn’t deserve” the win. Pressed on the ‘issue, he admitted: “Had I understood the message and had I thought about it, reflected on it, thought what the team wanted to do, to leave Mark in first place and me finishing second... I think I would have thought about it and I would probably have done the same thing.”

Risking alienating Webber further, Vettel said: “Being completely honest, I never had much support from his side. I’ve got support from the team, and I think the team has supported us both the same way. But in terms of my relationship was Mark, I respect him a lot as a racing driver, but I think there has been more than one occasion — four or five occasions — in the past where he could have helped the team and he didn’t.”
Vettel said the Malaysian controversy had taken attention away from what was a great performance by the team at Sepang.