Motor racing - Button handed time penalty for Maldonado collision

SHANGHAI - McLaren's Jenson Button was handed a time penalty that cost him 13th place in Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix after accepting responsibility for a collision with Lotus driver Pastor Maldonado.

The 2009 Formula One world champion, who dropped to 14th as a result of the extra five seconds added to his time, also picked up two penalty points for the turn one collision.

"I thought there was room on the inside," the Briton said of the incident that led to Maldonado's retirement for the third race in a row.

"Just a misjudgement, I guess." Maldonado, who had already had problems with his car's brakes and spun earlier, chalked it down as a racing incident.

"It was a fantastic battle with Jenson and we were passing each other very cleanly...unfortunately, it looks like he got his braking point wrong and went into the back of me," said the Venezuelan.

"This can easily happen when you're fighting for position...so it's just one of those things."