Lewis Hamilton today attempted to defend his actions following yet another controversial afternoon for the McLaren star which saw him involved in his first collision with team-mate Jenson Button.

Just two weeks ago in an action-packed Monaco Grand Prix, Hamilton was given two drive-through penalties for causing collisions with Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado.

There was no sign Hamilton had learned his lesson in today's Canadian Grand Prix which started after four initial laps behind the safety car due to a wet track.

The 26-year-old first tagged Red Bull's Mark Webber in the opening series of corners, sending the Australian into a spin.

Then just under three laps later, Hamilton committed the cardinal sin of motor racing when he was involved in a shunt with his team-mate.

Lining up Button down the start/finish straight, Hamilton pulled out to pass, at which point the former had started to drift across onto the racing line.

It resulted in Button squeezing his team-mate against the pit wall, the left rear wheel of Hamilton's McLaren hitting the concrete and puncturing his tyre, eventually forcing him into retirement.

"It was tricky conditions, I was doing the best I could to keep the car on track," said Hamilton.

"I think I had pretty good pace, and whilst I fell behind Jenson, he made a mistake out of the last corner and I got the run on him.

"I think he outbraked himself going into the last chicane, and he got a pretty poor exit.

"Going down the straight, I felt I was halfway up the outside of him, but he kept moving across. Whether or not he saw me I don't know.

"There was no room for me, no run off and I was in the wall. It was kind of lucky it didn't take both of us out.

"As for me, it was only the tyre that was busted, so I put on the (differential) lock to drive it back to the garage.

"But the team told me to retire as they said the suspension had gone. It turns out it wasn't."

Asked if he felt Button's move was intentional, Hamilton replied: "I don't think so, I know Jenson quite well. He wouldn't do that.

"I thought I was alongside him, but it doesn't matter now.

"This is racing. I'm sorry for the team, they've worked so hard this week, and I could have done with the points."

Regarding his incident with Webber, Hamilton added: "That's four people I've been in contact with now in two races.

"I went down the inside, he braked quite early, then I was on the kerb and he kind of pushed me over and we just touched.

"I think he had left me enough room, but I touched the kerb and understeered into him, so I apologise if it affected him."

With Hamilton and Button facing an investigation from the stewards for the incident, the question now is where the former goes from here?

"Onwards and upwards," responded a defiant Hamilton.

"I just go to the next race and try and stay out of trouble.

"It would be great if we could qualify a little bit higher rather than be in this position."

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, meanwhile, has refused to condemn Hamilton.

"Jenson didn't know he was there and Lewis was trying to make good progress," said Whitmarsh.

"There's no issue. They both see it the same way. Other people may criticise, but this is the way we run our race team.

"Lewis is an extraordinary driver. He's got to go out there and drive as he drives best.

"He's always going to be a passionate race driver, he's always going to go for it, and it would be wrong of us to try to defuse that passion."

Webber, meanwhile, has effectively brushed off his own incident with Hamilton.

"I gave Lewis the line, but he still made contact," said Webber.

"I was surprised he hit me. It was just so far to go in the grand prix, that's what surprised me."