Beijing ePrix: Prost accepts fault, handed penalty

Nicolas Prost has rescinded earlier comments in which he suggested he wasn't to blame for the spectacular accident that cost both himself and Nick Heidfeld a shot at victory in the first-ever FIA Formula E race, the Frenchman admitting he was at fault.

Having qualified on pole position, Prost led from the start almost to the end, but for a hard charging Heidfeld to attempt a pass on the inside of final corner on the last lap.

However, Prost would move across too late to defend his position, causing the pair to make contact and sustain damage in the impact. Worse was to follow though when Heidfeld's car was tipped into a slide that sent it across the high inside kerb, pitched onto its side and hit the barrier at speed cockpit-first. Spiralling several times before landing upside down, fortunately Heidfeld was able to walk away unharmed.

In the immediate aftermath, both drivers - who are team-mates at Rebellion Racing in the World Endurance Championship - blamed one another, with Prost suggesting his rival shouldn't have attempted a pass there.

However, the Frenchman - son of four-time F1 champion Alain Prost - has since amended his opinion having watched replays, taking to Twitter to accept fault and to apologise to the German.

The most important thing is that my friend @NickHeidfeld is ok, sorry again Nick, you know I would never do something like this...-- Nico Prost (@nico_prost) September 13, 2014

With just a week to go before they team up again in the WEC, Heidfeld duly responded in kind, before showing an image of the wheel imprint his Venturi's wheel made in the wall:

Stewards have also blamed Prost for the accident, handing him a ten place grid penalty for the next event in Malaysia in November.