'Poor start' wreaks havoc on Verstappen's Belgian GP

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Max Verstappen said a poor launch off the grid set him up for a contact with Kimi Raikkonen at La Source that ultimately caused his demise from the Belgian Grand Prix.

Verstappen bogged down when the lights went off, losing several positions on the run up to Turn 1. The Red Bull charger attempted to squeeze himself on the inside of Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo only for the Finn to move over and hit the left front of the Dutchman's car.

Verstappen's orange wave of support: 'The more the better!'

Raikkonen briefly found himself on two wheels at La Source while Verstappen continued down to Eau Rouge. However, a broken left front suspension forced the RB15 off the track and into the tyre barrier, fortunately at relatively low speed.

"Poor start, I don't really know why, we'll look into that," Verstappen told Sky F1.

"Maybe I braked a little later than the two cars ahead of me, it was all working quite well but I think Kimi didn't expect me to be there any more. So he just did his normal line and we touched.

"The track rod was broken after that and that's why I went straight on [into the barrier].

"That's racing. These things can happen."

The setback was a massive deception for Verstappen's orange army of supporters, but Verstappen vowed to fight another day and as early as next week at Monza.

"For sure, but [Monza] is not going to be the best for us, but we'll try and make the best of it," he said.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.