Niki Lauda has joined scores of fans and insiders who blame Sebastian Vettel for putting his championship hopes in tatters in Singapore.

On Twitter, the Maranello team lashed out at Max Verstappen for Sunday's first-corner crash, while boss Maurizio Arrivabene said that it was "clearly" the Red Bull driver's fault.

However, Formula 1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Lauda told Osterreich: "It was clearly Sebastian's fault.

"I don't know why he would risk so much at this important stage of the world championship."

Lauda also told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "If that had happened in my time, we would have walked back to Maranello."

Why German Vettel was not punished by the stewards for causing the crash, meanwhile, is another matter.

Jos Verstappen, Max's father, told motorsport-magazin.com he sensed a "political" reason.

"If [the FIA] gave him a real punishment, the championship would be over."

Spanish newspaper Marca quoted Mark Webber as saying that the stewards not punishing Vettel was "a joke".

"I think sometimes Seb forgets where the back of his car is," said Vettel's former Red Bull teammate.

The season continues next weekend with the Malaysian Grand Prix.