Grosjean sorry after pile-up

Romain Grosjean has apologised and vowed to learn after causing a frightening first-corner smash in the Belgian Grand Prix for which he was hammered by the stewards.

It was the seventh early-race incident in which Grosjean has been involved this year, and the Frenchman appears to lack spatial awareness. On this occasion at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Grosjean tried to cut across Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren, only to bump wheels, sparking a chain reaction that resulted in an almighty pile-up.

Grosjean appeared shellshocked as he spoke, but was honest in admitting to his faults as he said: "I accept my mistake. I misjudged the gap with Lewis. I thought I was in front of him. It was a small mistake, but a big incident. I'm very sorry, and I'm just glad nobody is hurt. That's the main thing."

On-board footage showed Grosjean's Lotus come within inches of championship leader Fernando Alonso's helmet as it flew over the front of the Ferrari.

Alongside Alonso and Hamilton, Sauber driver Sergio Perez's race was also destroyed, resulting in the stewards deciding to ban Grosjean for next Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He was also fined 50,000 euro (£40,000).

It is the first time a driver has been banned from a race since Michael Schumacher was excluded for two grands prix in 1994 for ignoring black flags during the British event.

Accepting he may need to change his ways, Grosjean added: "If there is more than one (mistake) then that is too many. It is too much. I know that. Some are not my fault, but I will analyse and I will try to not repeat it in the seven last races.

"For sure I don't want to do any more (crashes), so I will work as much as I can to try and avoid those. It's just most of the time misjudgement of the space I have in front or the space I have on the side. It's true we don't see much in the mirrors and stuff like that and it goes very quick at the start.

"I was 100% sure I was in front of Lewis, but I was not so I need to rethink about my view of the car. I am most angry at myself to have misjudged the gap with Lewis' car."

Team principal Eric Boullier, who described the penalty as "severe", believes the one-race ban will give Grosjean time to reflect on the error of his ways. "Being in the wrong place is not good, and that means we have to keep working and talking - more talking I think - as to the reason why he is in the wrong place," said Boullier.