Williams driver Lance Stroll has branded Carlos Sainz Jr. "ridiculous" after he “drove into my side” during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
In the early stages of the race, Sainz exited the pitlane and emerged just behind Stroll going into the first corner.
He remained on the inside line and braked late, with Stroll taking the racing line; the two cars collided, with both retiring on the spot.
Toro Rosso’s Sainz was given a three-place grid penalty for Russia and two penalty points for the incident, with stewards deeming he was predominantly to blame.
“I saw Sainz coming out of the pitlane, I was 50 or 60 metres in front of him in the braking zone, and was already turning in and he drove into my side,” Stroll said.
“There is not much else to say, as I have just seen the video and it was ridiculous. I think the race wasn’t going badly [up to that point].
“I am just disappointed and hope my luck turns round sometime soon. I can be frustrated, but it won’t get me anywhere.”
Sainz added: “It definitely hasn’t been a good weekend for us. Unfortunately, all of a sudden after the pitstop I was involved in an incident with Lance and that was the end of my race.
“The weekend ends with a DNF, but weekends like this one always happen at some point throughout the year in F1, this is racing.”
