Toro Rosso drivers Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat did their team no favours when they collided on the first lap of the British Grand Prix, and although the Russian was deemed the culprit he is adamant that his Spanish teammate is as much to to blame.
The pair Kvyat and Sainz were slugging it out through Copse, but Kvyat lost control of the car going wide over the kerbs at Becketts and speared into the side of Sainz’s car who had been on the outside.
Ironically Kvyat managed to continue, serving a drive through penalty and also adding two penalty points to his super-licence, he continued to finish 15th.
Sainz, who retired on the spot, told Sky Sport, “It’s very clear ion the cameras what happened, we were both battling for position and giving each other space and then one car loses control and collides with another.”
“Not good for the team – but it’s a discussion and analysis that needs to stay between us. When there is situations out of control it’s not like I’m going to be tense about it, I’m relaxed. We need to keep our head up,” added the Spaniard.
Kvyat was defiant in the aftermath of the race, “I knew already that I wouldn’t be on the perfect line for Turn 12, where the collision happened, since Turn 10, because you’re committed to the corner very fast,” Kvyat said. “Second of all I didn’t leave the track. Me and the team both agreed on that, because the punishment was for leaving the track and rejoining the circuit.
“I’m narrowly within the track limits, and we believe the penalty was too harsh for what really happened … The racing driver knows when he sees what happens to me that you’re never going to be on the perfect line for Turn 12.”
“So when you put yourself there, you know the collision is 90 per cent unavoidable. I believe had the other car been anticipating it, it would have been trying to get me back on the next straight.”
“But it didn’t happen. You just put yourself there and say to your teammate: OK, you just crash into me. That’s what I believe happened, and I completely disagree with the penalty. Yes, of course the responsibility is on me also, but I think we both should be feeling responsible for what happened,” concluded Kvyat.
Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost did not mince his words in the team’s post race report, “It was a big disappointment for the team because the worst scenario that can ever happen is the collision between teammates on the first lap of the race. This should not have happened today. From a performance point of view, the car would’ve been able to finish within the top ten.”
It remains to be seen hos the Red Bull management deal with the latest clash between their junior drivers….
Big Question: Are both Daniil and Carlos to blame for their coming together?