by Our Sports Desk

LEWIS HAMILTON blamed a poor start to the Austrian Grand Prix yesterday for costing him a shot at victory.

The Mercedes man had qualified on pole for the seventh time in eight races but was beaten off the line by teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg — who then took the chequered flag to close the gap in the championship.

Hamilton did not appear to have the pace to close the gap up front and his hopes were dashed when he was hit with a five-second time penalty for cutting the corner as he exited the pit lane.

For Rosberg it was a second successive win in Spielberg and, although he was unhappy with his start, Hamilton conceded he lost to the better man.

“I had a problem with the revs,” he said.

“I took my foot off the gas and the throttle was still on. It was not the best way to start the race but it is something we will work on to improve on my side of the garage.”

Hamilton was tucked in close behind Rosberg for the first lap but could not make a move as the safety car came out following a big collision between the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso’s McLaren.

Raikkonen confirmed he had suffered wheel-spin at turn two as he collected the McLaren and saw former teammate Alonso come flying over the top of his cockpit.

It triggered another dire weekend for McLaren, who also saw Jenson Button retire at the end of lap nine — after both drivers had already been hit with grid and time penalties for updating their Honda power units.

Up front, Rosberg took the 11th win of his career and was delighted with his afternoon as he closed to within 10 points of Hamilton in the championship.

“I had a good start and then good pace in the race,” he said.

“That is what I’m most happy about. I think I have found what I needed to find last year in terms of in the races and that’s what is really working out for me this year. It’s an awesome feeling to win again here.”