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Bourdais blames Massa for collision

Sebastien Bourdais believes Felipe Massa was completely to blame for their collision at Fuji - even though the stewards decided to penalise Bourdais for the crash

The Toro Rosso driver was given a 25-second penalty after the race and fell from sixth to 10th, while Massa was consequently elevated from eighth to seventh.

The two cars had come together as Bourdais rejoined after his final pitstop. He pulled out alongside Massa, who tried to drive around the outside of the Toro Rosso at the first corner, only to spin after contact between them.

Bourdais was adamant that Massa was at fault for the incident.

"For me it's very clear. Yes, I exit the pits, yes I'm supposed to be careful and I was," he said. "I stayed inside and I didn't push him out, I didn't overshoot the corner.

"I did everything I could not to run into him and he just squeezed and turned and behaved like I didn't exist, like I wasn't there. What am I supposed to do?

"I've been in this position many, many times and I never had any incidents. It's just a little bit of respect, you give each other room and then everything goes right, but if you don't for sure it's going to be an incident."

The Frenchman added that he would have behaved differently to Massa had he been the one challenging for the title.

"I've been in this position many times, especially the position he is in fighting for championships and you just don't take unnecessary risks like this," said Bourdais.

"You've got everything to lose and nothing to gain. He was going to pit in three laps, I was ahead of him and he was going to finish behind us anyway. Why would you even think about doing something like that? I don't understand."

Despite feeling he was blameless in the incident, Bourdais wasn't surprised to receive a penalty.

"No, because every time I get called to the (stewards) meeting rooms, one way or the other it goes against me," he said.

"I don't know why, I don't know what I've done. I don't think I have done anything wrong on this one and unfortunately it ruins the weekend, takes away three points for the team and gives Felipe another point - I am really happy for him, obviously!

"I don't know what I was supposed to do basically. I could have unrolled the red carpet and given him the corner. That is the only thing I could have done."

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