McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen [Images] crashed out of the Malaysian Grand Prix on the first lap on Sunday.
The Finn, overall runner-up last season with seven wins, was clipped by Austrian Christian Klien's Red Bull and spun off the track.
The impact caused the car to suffer a rear suspension failure that pitched it into the safety wall and ended Raikkonen's race. Klien damaged the front left wheel of his car and returned to the pits soon afterwards.
"I cannot change anything," said Raikkonen glumly. "It was not really my fault. These things happen.
"Klien hit me on the rear tyre and I broke my rear suspension."
Raikkonen had been one of the favourites to win Sunday's second round of the season after roaring from 22nd on the starting grid to third in last weekend's Bahrain season-opener.
The Finn had started on the third row in Sepang.
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