Vettel apologizes to Red Bull staff members

Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel visited the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes earlier this week to apologize to members of staff for his actions in the Malaysian Grand Prix, team boss Christian Horner has revealed.

Vettel, who made an appearance at the team's factory on Tuesday, ignored team orders to pass teammate Mark Webber for victory at Sepang. Having apologized immediately after the race, the German has now addressed the workforce in person.

"He's said he can't turn back the clock but he's accepted what he did was wrong," Horner explained during an interview with Sky Sports News.

"He's apologised to the team and to every single member of staff for his actions, because he recognizes the team is vitally important and being part of the team is a crucial aspect to being able to challenge for those championships."

Amid the controversy, Vettel took the championship lead in Malaysia. Ahead of next month's Chinese Grand Prix, he leads Lotus rival Kimi Raikkonen by nine points.