Jolyon Palmer has torn into Romain Grosjean after the French driver was responsible for causing a major crash on the first lap crash of the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.

The 32-year-old Grosjean, currently driving for Haas, collided with Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly after losing control of his car during the opening lap of the race in Barcelona, which was ultimately won by Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

It has been a difficult start to the new season for Grosjean, who is currently pointless for far in the 2018 Formula One campaign.

And Palmer, who after failing to secure a seat in Formula One this season has taken up a punditry role, feels it is all getting a bit too much for the Haas man.

Palmer wrote in his BBC Sport column: "Romain Grosjean is going through tough times in Formula 1 and he hit a real low point with his crash on the first lap at the Spanish Grand Prix.

"The Haas driver lost his car mid-pack at Turn Three, span back across the track in a cloud of tyre smoke and collected the cars of Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly.

"I don't remember an incident like it and I don't think the stewards did either - which is why they have given him a three-place penalty at the Monaco Grand Prix.

"It is the latest - and worst - in a series of difficult moments for Grosjean this year.

Palmer then revealed that he had a personal incident with Grosjean when the pair crashed into each other during the Sochi GP last year. 

He added: "I had an incident with Grosjean in Sochi last year. He tipped me into a spin and then drove into the front of my spinning car. We ended up in the wall, putting us both out at the start of the race.

"At the time Romain's biggest complaint was that I kept the throttle on as I was spinning and didn't just hit the brakes, which he saw as the reason he was collected and pitched into the wall. I distinctly remember him saying what I did that day was "dangerous".

"But that's irrelevant now. What it shows is his mindset, and how in the crunch moment he wasn't able to think the same way he had managed in the stewards' room before."

Grosjean has been given a three-place grid drop for the Monaco GP as a result of Sunday's crash and Palmer thinks he will need to put his poor start to the campaign completely out of his thoughts.

Palmer continued: "Grosjean has the speed to get brilliant results on his day, and there's plenty of time for him to turn it around yet.

"But first I think he needs to clear his head and reset.

"He did that before after receiving a race ban in 2012 for a spate of first-lap incidents.

"It appeared to work then, and I think he needs to draw a line under this start to the year and treat it as a 16-race season starting at Monaco in two weeks' time."