Max Verstappen was left confused after being forced to lift off behind slow-moving team-mate Pierre Gasly during FP2 at the Canadian GP.
The Dutchman closed in rapidly on Gasly coming out of the chicane with the loss of downforce causing him to slide into the ‘Wall of Champions’.
There was some damage to the right-side wheels of Verstappen’s RB15, but he escaped a major repair job.
“I had Pierre in front of me and I think he was told to speed up, but I don’t know exactly what happened then,” Verstappen told reporters in Montreal.
“I arrived into the chicane, understeer, and yeah, basically in the wake of his car I understeered into the wall.
“It’s a shame. We missed a bit of running because of that, but when we were running I think we looked quite decent.
“At the moment I think we still need to improve a little bit, but it’s not like something dramatic or anything.
“Just fine-tuning bits, also with the track being so slippery today, things are not in our favour. There is a bit of work to do.”
Lost some time, which was unfortunate. But our long runs were competitive and the balance of the car is fine. Still looking for more grip though #KeepPushing #CanadianGP ?? pic.twitter.com/pDo5vYTTH9
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) June 7, 2019
Carlos Sainz ended Friday running in P4 for McLaren, a shock performance from the Spaniard, but Verstappen believes he would have claimed that spot without the issues.
“Well at the moment I think today we would’ve been P4,” he said when asked where he thought he would have finished in FP2.
“I think Carlos ended up in P4, so we should be ahead.”
Gasly suggested that the team had given him a late call to warn of Verstappen’s approach.
“They told me quite late when I was preparing my lap behind Romain [Grosjean], he said. “When they told me I started to push and then he was five seconds behind.
“They told me he hit the wall, but I didn’t exactly see what happened. I was trying to prepare my lap but I am sure we will see and talk about it.”
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