Lewis Hamilton admitted that he was at fault for the crash with Fernando Alonso which ruined his race at the Belgian Grand Pri x.
The Brit was hopeful of ending the weekend on a high after a struggle in qualifying. However, he never got the chance to make amends in the race as he got a little too close to the Spaniard while attempting an overtake in the early stages.
Hamilton tried to go around the outside of the Alpine but did not leave enough room. Their wheels touched and the Mercedes was thrown into the air, sustaining damage as it hit the floor and leading to his retirement.
It was a while before Hamilton explained himself to the media, as he took the scenic route back to the paddock to reflect on what had happened. But when he did face the cameras, he was honest about the cause of the collision.
"I'm looking back at the footage and he was in my blind spot and I didn't leave him enough space," he told Sky Sports. "So it was my fault and I paid the price. I'm just sorry for the team, we had a chance of P3 and P4 today. The car felt good on the laps to the grid, we'd got it into a good place and I'd made a good start.
"After three weeks away, I was looking forward to racing today so it's frustrating, but it is what it is. Right now, my job is to focus on the next race, I need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill."
Alonso was able to continue racing, but was still furious about the contact. "What an idiot!" he yelled over team radio, adding: "Closing the door from the outside. I mean, we had a mega start – but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first."
Hamilton was given the chance to respond to that message, but was quick to avoid getting into a war of words. He added: "It doesn't really matter what he said – I don't really care. Like I said, It was my fault. I couldn't see him, he was right in my blind spot."
The stewards decided that Hamilton had been punished enough by having to retire and levied no further punishment on the Brit for causing the collision. He did get a telling-off, though, for refusing medical assistance after such a heavy impact.
