Wit🌊h both drivers involved in the multi-car incident at La Source, Sauber 🎐finished the F1 2012 Belgian Grand Prix in a deflated mood as Sergio Perez had to retire on the first lap, and Kamui Kobayashi was left with a damaged side-pod, meaning that he was unable to capitalise on the best qualifying performance of his career, and finished well down the order in 13th.

"This is a terrible race result after we had been doing so well in🎶 qualifying," Kobayashi said. "There was nothing I could do when a car came flying into mine after the start.

"I had to pit once for some repairs and then again after꧃ seven laps because of a slow puncture.

"During the race I didn't really know how bad the damage to the car🐽 was, but I could see a tyre print on the cockpit all the time. Later in parc ferm? I understood why I was so slow, as the side pod and some other bodywork had gone."

The brakes on the Japanese driver's Sauber may have been a contributing factor in the start-line confusion, and Kamui was at a loss 🃏to explain the reason for the excessive amount of smoke: "Apparently before the start my car drew a lot of attention because of the smoke. The brakes were too hot, but I was still able to finish the race with them. I don't know why I then also had more wheel spin than expected, so we are looking into that as well," he explained.

ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚMeanwhile, after an equally strong qualifying, team-mate Perez was also understandably disenchanted: "I am very disappointed for myself and the team as it was such a good opportunity for us to fight for a victory today," said the Mexican.

Perez was also quick to highlight that neither Sauber driver could have done anything about the accident at the start: "Pastor Maldonado had a jump start first of all. I went on the inside of Fernando Alonso. I was going into turn one, braking and then suddenly the cars came from behind and hit me and it was a big mess. I am now looking forward to t🔯he next race in Monza."

Sauber CEO Monisha Kaltenborn agreed with her drivers' assessments: "It is very disappointing that once again factors beyond our control have ruined another race of ours. We have to take the positive out of this weekend th🌼at if we don't make mistakes and get the right qualifying we can be right in front, and that has to be our target again for the next race," she concluded.

by Joshua Bonser