Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi was guilty of an "idiotic" opening lap move, according to Jenson Button, who was also critical of future teammate Sergio Perez in Korea.
The Briton hit out at Perez after he was forced to take evasive action when the Mexican came in too hot down the inside at Turn 1. Having done so, however, he was then wiped out two corners later as Kobayashi barreled off Nico Rosberg and into his McLaren.
Button accused the pair of reckless tactics, saying Kobayashi – whom he called an "idiot" on the radio – in particular was guilty of a "massive' misjudgment."
"It seems both Sauber drivers think the first lap of the race is the only lap," Button said. "[They] have got a great car underneath them and could score such great points here if they just kept their heads together. I don't know what they were doing.
"I got a really good start and passed Michael [Schumacher] and was alongside Nico [Rosberg at Turn 1] when Perez came from nowhere, chucked it up the inside, outbraked himself and hit the car in front.
"I had to run wide and push Nico off the circuit to stop an incident, so then Nico and I had a drag race down the back straights, Saubers all over the back of us.
"Basically I braked very, very late – as I'm sure Nico did – and then suddenly got a big bang on the right hand side and Kamui came flying past. I don't know how he hit two of us, which was pretty special.
"It's very poor driving standards, considering this is the pinnacle of motorsport. It's not just a slight misjudgment, its massive.
"There is so much opportunity here as well with way tires are working and the DRS zone. It's a great circuit for overtaking, which is why it so surprising people are driving like that."
Asked whether Kobayashi's drive-through penalty was an adequate punishment, Button said: "I don't think so. He's wiped out two with very good chances of scoring points."
Button added that the move was part of a wider trend toward first-lap incidents, explaining: "The race is not two corners long and some people need to learn that – whether they will we will have to wait and see."