Hulkenberg was crammed in the middle with Bottas on the inside and Vettel on the outside going uphill into the first corner.

Left with nowhere to go, Hulkenberg and Vettel made contact, which created a domino effect, putting Hulkenberg in the path of Bottas and triggering the race-ruining collision.

As a result, Bottas suffered a puncture and eventually finished 16th, while Hulkenberg retired with a broken steering arm - his third straight DNF at COTA.

"There simply was not enough room in Turn 1. I was sandwiched between Vettel and Bottas," Hulkenberg said after the grand prix.

"I couldn't go anywhere, I had no place to go. Sebastian turned in too aggressively, he barely left any room. I think it could have been avoided if Sebastian had given us a bit more space.

"It's unnecessary, very frustrating and annoying, too, to be out of the race that quickly - and through no fault of one's own."

When asked about the incident, Vettel said: "I didn't see him, so I don't know where he wanted to go.

"I [was] focused on the group ahead, tried braking a bit later than the Red Bulls in front. Kimi [Raikkonen] had a good start and moved up and put the Mercedes under pressure.

"So I tried to focus on the exit and beat one of the Red Bull on traction, and the moment I was turning in, in the middle of the corner I get a hit.

"So obviously it is quite tempting, I don't know what Nico tried to do, I need to have a look but it is easy to misjudge when you come onto the crest, [the] car doesn't slow down as much.

"I was just lucky that I could carry on, to be honest, with that sort of hit, I was surprised we didn't have any damage."

The stewards investigated the Hulkenberg-Bottas clash, but decided that no further action was warranted.

Meanwhile, in the Force India and Williams battle for fourth in the constructors' standings, the Silverstone-based team is still ahead with an eight-point advantage, after Sergio Perez recovered to finish eighth, one spot behind Felipe Massa.