Stroll penalised for 'lack of situational awareness' in Latifi Q1 crash

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Lance Stroll has been handed a three-place grid penalty for causing the collision with Nicholas Latifi in Australian Grand Prix qualifying.

The two drivers were involved in a strange accident as the Williams driver allowed his fellow Canadian through just before Turn 5 before trying to repass as the Aston Martin slowed on the exit.

As he did so though, Stroll turned to the right and clipped the left-rear wheel of Latifi's car sending him into the barriers. 

"For me, it’s quite clear," Latifi told Sky Sports in the paddock. "I just tried to go back past to prepare my out lap and he just turned into me once I was alongside him. So, not much more to say besides that.

"I let him through because he was pushing, so I was told, then I saw he aborted the lap so I wanted to get carried on with my own preparation lap so I went by him.

"There was a big gap and once I got past him, for whatever reason he decided to turn. It’s clear for me on the video, not much more to say."

Giving his side of the incident, Stroll said: “We were on a cool lap and I saw the video, he went to try to pass me all of a sudden in a very awkward part of the circuit.

"The circuit falls off to the right and then the left where that is.

“I think what happened was just very awkward. He was all of a sudden just trying to come by me and it gets narrow and we made contact. [It was] quite a ridiculous incident."

The stewards though agreed with Latifi as they penalised Stroll for being "predominantly to blame" and citing a "lack of situational awareness" as the Williams repassed.

It was a tough end to a bad day for Lance, with his team rushing to fix his car in time for qualifying after he crashed in final practice earlier in the day.

As it is, the incident will not alter any grid places as both drivers finished 19th and 20th.

 

         

 

 

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