Hamilton reveals run-in with 'disrespectful' Vettel

Lewis Hamilton has lifted the lid on a fiery confrontation he had with Sebastian Vettel following one of the most talked-about moments of the F1 season.

Hamilton labelled Vettel a 'disgrace' in June when the Ferrari driver deliberately rammed into the Mercedes champion while the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was under safety car.

Vettel was hit with a 10-second in-race penalty for his actions, a decision which Hamilton later slammed.

And now the British driver has revealed what went on behind closed doors after the race.

“When I spoke to him later I was like, ‘That’s a sign of disrespect, so don’t ever disrespect me like that again otherwise then we will have problems,’” Hamilton told Motorsport TV.

“I’ve never done that to someone. I don’t even know what he was thinking to have done (that) ... I’ve never been in a position like that.

“I guess people react differently under certain pressures.”

Hamilton also explained how he didn't let Vettel derail his push for a fourth world title.

“I knew what I was there to do and I wasn’t going to let anything distract me from doing that,” Hamilton said.

“I wasn’t going to let myself say something or react in a way that’s going to cause some negative swirl which is going to steer me off course from my ultimate goal.”

Vettel defended himself at the time.

“I don’t think it’s right thing I got a penalty and he didn’t. The penalty was very harsh.”

Hamilton ended up clinching the world title with one race remaining, while Vettel finished 43 points behind in second.