Nico Rosberg leaps to his own defence

Spa (Belgium): Nico Rosberg mounted a robust defence of his driving on Sunday after being booed on the podium for his part in the second-lap collision with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The crash left British driver Hamilton with a puncture that wrecked his race as Rosberg finished second behind Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull to extend his lead in the title race to 29 points. "First of all, what I hear is that (Mercedes team boss) Toto Wolff said it was unavoidable, which doesn`t put the blame on me, and the fans that were booing me were the British fans," said Rosberg. "Of course, I am very unhappy for the team because we have the fastest car and we should have had first and second." Asked if he had spoken to Hamilton following the race, he said: "No, not yet, but I am sure we will sit down and have a discussion. "There`s always the British media who is always going to be on the other side and the German media will be on my side." "We are here to entertain and give all of you at home a great time, but not in the way we did today -- but I do not feel I am being made to be the bad guy." "I just have to wait and see and have a discussion and I will also give my opinion. For sure, I regret that we touched because it cost me the win and it was unavoidable."