Button Apologises to Trulli over Start Shunt

Briton Jenson Button said he was "very sorry" to have crashed into Italian driver Jarno Trulli at the start of the Italian Grand Prix.

Button, who had achieved his best qualifying position - 11th - so far this year on Saturday, made a flying start and tried to dive down the inside at the first chicane. But the Benetton driver overshot the corner and hit the rear of Trulli's Jordan. The Italian was forced to retire.

21-year old Button said he felt sorry for Trulli after he also retired from the race with a blown engine.

"This weekend started so well and I was prepared for a good race," said Button. "I made a great start, but at the first corner I think I had strayed too far to the inside, where it was quite dirty and oily, perhaps from the Porsche race earlier on today.

"I braked at the same time as everyone else, but I couldn't stop in time to avoid Trulli. I ran into him, lost my front wing and put him out of the race, for which I was very sorry."