Sebastian Vettel has blamed Lewis Hamilton for causing the opening-lap collision that ruined his Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The four-time champion said he felt championship leader Hamilton did not leave him enough room when the pair clashed at turn four of the very first lap.

The collision resulted in Vettel damaging his front wing and him facing the wrong direction of the track while Hamilton’s car survived undamaged.

‘Lewis saw a little bit around the outside, but he didn’t leave me any space,’ said Vettel. ‘I had no other chance, but to run into him and make contact.

‘It is a bit ironic that it was that way. I tried to pass Kimi and then he came. I left him space, but it was me who was the one who spun around.

‘He didn’t leave me any space. There was no option. I made contact and I was spun around. Then we were at the back and had to come back.’

After pitting for a new front wing and a fresh set of soft tyres, Vettel fought back through the field to finish fifth, but thanks to Max Verstappen taking a five-second time penalty, he got bumped up to fourth.

The result leaves Vettel with a mountain to climb if he wants to become a five-time champion, as he trails Hamilton by 30 points with seven races remaining.

He said the result was a blow to morale and was especially tough for the fans.

But he added: ‘It’s not like I won’t wake up tomorrow. It’s deflating, but we couldn’t do it.’

However, 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg disagreed with Vettel statements saying: ‘I think it was 100% Sebastian’s fault. Over and over, he keeps making these mistakes and that’s not how you are going to beat Lewis Hamilton to a world championship.’