Webber blames Rosberg for missing cut

Formula One rookie Rosberg qualified sixth, alongside Ferrari's seven-time champion Michael Schumacher and 11 places ahead of the unhappy Webber.

The Australian failed to make the cut in the opening knockout session and starts 17th.

He said the 20-year-old German, son of 1982 champion Keke, had cost him crucial time by holding him up.

"You can get traffic here and there but obviously its frustrating when it's your teammate who is cruising on the back straight," Webber told Britain's ITV television.

"It screws you into the last corner and loses you a lot of time...obviously Nico wasn't looking in his mirrors at all but that's the way it goes.

"The straight's long enough to look in your mirrors and he was focusing on something else, I don't know what was going on," said Webber.

Honda's Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who narrowly made the first cut, joined in the criticism of the promising youngster.

"I almost missed the first one (cut) because of Mr Rosberg," he said. "He's a little bit young still, he needs to learn a little bit to give respect to the others.

"He almost put me out of qualifying...he was interested in what he was doing but not on the others....these things are a chain reaction, you do that to me and I will do that to you next time," he warned.

Rosberg held his hands up and apologised.

"I'm pretty sure he's right on that," he said of Webber's comments.

"It's very difficult to see how quick the guy from behind is coming...for the last chicane I am sure it cost him a couple of tenths and I am very sorry for that."