Webber apologised for Hamilton bump

Mark Webber apologised for bumping into Lewis Hamilton's McLaren in the battle for the first corner last weekend at the Nurburgring.

The Australian went on to record his maiden victory, but he actually lost the lead in the opening moments of the race to a KERS-assisted Hamilton as well as Rubens Barrichello, who he also bumped into.

Webber, 32, was penalised for the Barrichello contact but not the separate incident involving Hamilton, who had to drive slowly around the track en route to the pits with a shredded rear tyre.

The Red Bull driver admitted afterwards that he "clipped the back" of his silver-clad rival.

"After the race Mark sent us an email to apologise and to say that it was not intentional," Mercedes' Norbert Haug revealed to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

The German believes Hamilton would have been a podium contender if not for the Webber collision.

"I would like to say very clearly that we would not have beaten Red Bull," Haug insisted, "but I think a third place would have been possible."