Japanese GP: Romain Grosjean is a nutcase, says Mark Webber

Red Bull's Mark Webber has called Romain Grosjean a "first-lap nutcase" and "embarrassing" after they collided in the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Lotus driver, who recently served a ban for causing a first-corner pile-up at Spa, hit Webber at the start, sending him to the back of the field.

Webber said: "It's frustrating. Maybe he needs another holiday."

Grosjean, 26, added: "I was just trying to avoid any contact. It didn't work. It was a stupid crash."

In 15 races this season, Grosjean has been involved in seven first-lap, and one second-lap, incidents.

For Sunday's crash he was given a 10-second stop-go penalty before he ultimately retired with two laps remaining.

Webber, who had started second, eventually finished ninth.

"I haven't seen what happened at the start but the guys confirmed that it was the first-lap nutcase again Grosjean," added the Australian.

"The rest of us are trying to fight for some decent results each weekend but he is trying to get to the third corner as fast as he can at every race.

"He needs to have a look at himself. It was completely his fault. How many mistakes can you make? How many times can you make the same error? It's quite embarrassing at this level for him."

Grosjean was banned from the Italian Grand Prix - the first driver to be banned from a race since Michael Schumacher in 1994 - after causing the first-corner crash at Spa.

It followed first-lap incidents in Malaysia, Spain, Monaco, Britain and Germany plus a second-lap incident in Australia.

Lotus team principal Eric Boullier said Grosjean had learned an important lesson as a result.

While he kept out of trouble in Singapore, Grosjean was in the wars again in Japan as he battled with Sauber's Sergio Perez on the opening lap.

"After the ban in Spa, every start I am trying to be very, very, very careful. This was the case again today. I did not move my line. I stay[ed] where I was.

"Perez was on my left in Turn One. I was focusing on avoiding any contact with him. I didn't see the delta [difference in] speed with Mark in front. We touched."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it was "completely unacceptable" for Grosjean to be involved in so many first-lap incidents.

He added: "Romain needs to really talk to himself or the team need to talk to him.

"Not only is it dangerous for others, but he's cost himself and his team a colossal amount of points, together with the innocent victims he's collected en route.

"Mark has every right to express his feelings. It was just a complete misjudgement.

"The most important thing when you make a mistake is to learn from it.

"The most worrying thing is he doesn't seem to be learning from his mistakes. Hopefully he'll have a good look in the mirror or his team need to get him under a bit more control."