Formula One news

Button laments first lap collision

Championship leader Jenson Button registered his first retirement of the 2009 season in Belgium. Having scored points in the first eleven races, the Englishman's clean sheet was ruined after being involved in a multiple collision at Les Combes corner.

Starting 14th on the grid would always present the usual midfield traffic challenges for Button, although a tap from Romain Grosjean at only the fifth corner of the first lap signalled a premature end to the afternoon.

"I got a very good start," Button explained to the BBC. "I got passed Lewis (Hamilton) at the start - and obviously Rubens (Barrichello) had his problem - and I was going down the outside and got pushed wide at Turn 1."

Having survived La Source, Button soon found himself making his own way back to the pit lane. "As we were going down the straight, I went down the outside of Heikki (Kovalainen) and Grosjean out-braked himself and hit my back wheel," the Englishman continued. "It's frustrating to be taken out like that, especially when I made a few places up at the start and Rubens had his problem, which was good for me."

Like the subsequent collision between Hamilton and Jaime Alguersuari, Button and Grosjean's coming together will be reviewed by race stewards after the Grand Prix.

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