Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso, Interlagos, 2018

Gasly: Grosjean apologised for practice collision

2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Romain Grosjean apologised to Pierre Gasly for the collision between the pair during final practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The pair made contact approaching turn 17 as Gasly appeared to gesture in frustration at Grosjean, who was driving slowly on the racing line.

Gasly said Grosjean told him he wasn’t aware the Toro Rosso was catching him at the time. “He apologised and told me that no one told him that I was coming, and when he checked in his mirrors he didn’t see me. Then four seconds later I was already next to him.”

Some drivers found they had to lap very slowly between runs to preserve their tyres, which Gasly pointed out caused the significant difference in speed between the two cars.

“It doesn’t really make sense,” he said. “At the moment we are one minute 20 [seconds] slower than a quick lap so there’s a massive speed difference between the cars.

“I came pretty fast so we did like two seconds to travel a lot more distance than the others and sometimes you look behind two seconds later the guy is already right behind you.

“Romain came to apologise to me and said his engineer didn’t really let him know and by the time he checked he didn’t see me coming. In the end he blocked me. In the heat of the moment I was pretty upset.”

The stewards took the difference in speed between the two cars into account when the investigated the incident. They concluded neither driver deserved a penalty.

“The driver of car 10 [Gasly] conceded that he did not think the driver of car eight [Grosjean] was able to see him and it was noted that the closing speed differential was well in excess of 120 kph.

“The driver of car eight received no warning from his team by radio and stated that he had no visibility of car 10’s rapid approach. He stated had he known car 10 was approaching he would have moved completely off the track.

“Instead he turned into the corner, somewhat off the racing line but in doing so came into contact with car 10 which was on a push lap, and was unable to avoid it due to the very high speed differential.”

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8 comments on “Gasly: Grosjean apologised for practice collision”

  1. Those outlaps are becoming ridiculous indeed

  2. There has been talk about different mirrors, and rear-view cameras… but maybe what they need, these days, is radar… ;-)

    1. They need to focus on staying out of way when driving slow on an F1 track.

      1. The issue is first of all the speed difference.

        Secondly, to stay out of racing line, means crossing it every so often.
        That makes you unpredictable. HAAS screwed up by not telling Grosjean that Gasly was approaching.

        Gasly, didn’t make it better for waving his hands around instead of just finishing the job.

        How ever, if you make sure there are no cars Turteling about, you remove the problem.

      2. Hi Gabriel – sorry to see you are still offering your infantile advice… It neither helps the discussion nor F1… Shame…

  3. Grosjean and collision go together like turkey and cranberry sauce.

  4. Except turkey and cranberry sauce are more palatable . . .

  5. Fair play to Romain, to be honest.

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