Sebastien Bourdais came away empty handed from the🃏 Italian Grand Prix on Sunday after a problem at the start of the race le𝄹ft him a lap down and ultimately right out of contention.

Bourdais had qualified on t🌄he second row of the grid in f🌼ourth however, his form in qualifying proved academic when his STR-03 stalled at the start.

With no warm-up lap, the Frenchman, who had already been reduced to tears by losing💃 points-paying places in the last two laps at Spa - was a long way behind 𓂃and any hope of points was gone.

He eventually finished 18th and while he could take some comfort from his pace, it💮 was little consolation, especially as Sebastian Vettel won from pole in the sister car and especially as he reckoned a podium was well within his grasp.

"I'm not sure🔥 what happened on the grid," he stated. "When I tried to get first I couldn't and so then I let go of the flipper a bit quickly and when the gear selected I stalled, when normally the anti-stall should have come in.

"Then we cꦅouldn't get neutral and that was it, I had lost a lap immediately as the rཧace started behind the Safety Car.

"It should have been a dream weekend with a chance o🅠f finishing first and third but sadly for me, it was first and nothing. However, this has been a great day for Sebastian and the team."

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost meanwhile did have some words of encouragement for ﷽the ex-Champ Car ace: "It was unfortunate for Bourdais that he had a problem on the grid, as he had a good weekend up until today," he emphasised.