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F1 Canadian GP: Sauber calms Monaco storm ahead of Montreal

Sauber duo Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr have agreed that what happens in Monaco should stay in Monaco as they prepare for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

The pair infamously came together in round six of the 2016 F1 world championship as Ericsson, frustrated that Nasr wasn't moving aside for him, took matters into his own hands, precipitating a clash at Rascasse that ultimately eliminated both cars from the race. The Swede picked up a penalty for his troubles that will drop him three places down the grid in Canada but will at least go into the race having had the chance to air his grievances as the team staged sit down talks to diffuse any lingering tension.

"It shouldn't be like that, of course, but we all spoke about it, discussed it, cleared the air about it," Ericsson confirmed ahead of the Montreal event, "We had some different opinions, but it's all done and settled and we're looking forward to Montreal as a team."

Nasr, meanwhile, admitted that, while the situation had been put firmly in the rear view mirror and there is no personal animosity with his team-mate, Sauber's place in the F1 pecking order ensured that the two drivers would never be too far apart on track.

"We are always going to see the cars pretty close to each other," the Brazilian acknowledged, "You have different cases in different teams, but it was just the way it popped out in Monaco as it's a track very difficult to overtake on. I was starting my race from the pit-lane because I was starting with an old engine, an engine that was already over-mileage, and I was doing my own race when it all happened.

"I have nothing against him, so I wasn't expecting that to happen. I think you can ask other drivers as well, some of them are not best friends with each other in the paddock, but you don't expect other drivers to crash into each other or whatever. To be honest, I wasn't expecting that but it happened in Monaco, it stays in Monaco, and we move ahead."

Playing down rumours that team principal Monisha Kaltenborn had warned both drivers that a repeat of the Monaco incident would see the end of their time with the team, Nasr insisted that he would trust Ericsson in future head-to-heads on track.

"I think that's something that the team has to make sure of," he claimed, "As team members, we have got to keep the word and the attitude inside the team. After everything was said, yes, I do [trust him].

"To be honest, I take it very professionally. If the attitude and the word that is given is kept to in a way that we trust each other and we've got to be in the same environment, then I take it in the best professional way possible. I don't need to be best friends with anyone here, it doesn't matter if it's in Sauber or another team. I'm here to do my job the best I can, I'm here to give the team the best results I can give as a racing driver. That's what I should concentrate on."

Zdroj: crash.net