Sebastian Vettel insists Max Verstappen is to blame for their collision at the Japanese GP.
The two drivers clashed on lap nine after Vettel attempted an ambitious overtake into Spoon in a bid for third, with his Ferrari taking heavy damage and spinning as he dropped to the back of the field.
Race report: Hamilton wins, Vettel implodes
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But an adamant Vettel told Sky F1: "I don't regret the move.
"The gap was there, I had more speed, I would make the corner, I was side by side. But he didn't give enough room and then we touched."
Vettel recovered to finish sixth but he now trails Suzuka race-winner Lewis Hamilton by 67 points in the championship.
When he finished the race, Vettel told Ferrari over team radio: "If I don't go for that gap and the gap was there, might as well stay at home. Sorry for the result."
Race stewards investigated the Vettel-Verstappen collision but decided against inflicting any punishment, while Sky F1's Paul di Resta and Anthony Davidson believe the German was at fault.
Vettel, however, has criticised Red Bull's Verstappen, who was already set to serve a penalty for an earlier clash with Kimi Raikkonen in the other Ferrari.
"The gap was there but then as soon as he saw me he defended," Vettel added. "I had the inside but as soon as he realises somebody is close to him he tries to, in my opinion, push when he shouldn't push anymore.
"For me, the gap was there, otherwise I don't do it. It's normal that sometimes it gets close but I think you always have to leave a space and in that case I couldn't go anywhere and then we touched."
Vettel continued: "I was obviously pushing to get past but I wasn't desperate to get past, I knew he had a penalty. I also felt that we were faster."
On a weekend his championship prospects repeatedly dwindled, Vettel denied he had been taking extra risks than normal.
"I'm not trying to do something silly when I'm out there,"he said. "I think the gap was there and there are not so many chances you get when you are close."
He said he would be happy to discuss the incident with Verstappen in private.
"I don't want this to end up as 'Sebastian says this, Max says this'," Vettel insisted. "I will talk about it with him when there's the right time, that's what I prefer, but obviously you ask me these questions so I give you my answer.
"It didn't help both of us. He was lucky to carry on, I don't know if he had any damage. I was the one that spun and had the damage and ended up last."
Verstappen: Vettel crashed into me
Vettel may have made his views clear, but Verstappen refused to accept any blame for the collision.
"In that corner you can't overtake," he said. "I even gave him space but he understeered into my car."
Verstappen compared the incident to his mistake in China, when he was the driver who shunted into Vettel after trying to pass up the inside.
"He was a lot faster than me and could have overtaken the next lap," Verstappen told Sky F1.
"It shows that even the most experienced drivers can make errors when under pressure."
Verstappen added: "He could have been a bit more careful."
Sky F1 pundits on the clash
Paul di Resta
"I cannot believe the mistakes from Vettel and the cracks that are appearing. Vettel only has himself to blame.
"He's throwing the championship away at exactly the same point where it all went wrong last year.
"When you're in a world championship fight, can you afford to do something like that? I don't think you can.
"That's the difference. When Hamilton attempts an overtake he makes it stick."
Anthony Davidson
"Max could have left more room. It wasn't 100% Sebastian's fault.
"Yes, it was a bit risky move, but I would have to say it was probably 80-20 Vettel's fault.
"I think it was quite clear cut that it was more his fault. He should be regretting it."