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F1 German Grand Prix: Wehrlein, Haryanto play down German GP clash

Manor drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto have each shrugged off their clash during the opening stages of the German Grand Prix putting it down to a racing incident.

It was the first time the team-mates have clashed on track, with Manor tending to run opposing race strategies meaning the pair avoid one another, and despite both cars being able to continue the incident hampered Haryanto's race heavily after requiring an extra pit stop for a front wing change.

The Indonesian driver, who is set for crunch talks with potential sponsors which could determine whether the he keeps his race seat at Manor for the rest of the campaign, attempted a pass up the inside of Wehrlein at turn six but the German driver turned in seemingly unaware of his charging team-mate.

As a result, Haryanto looked to take avoiding action in order to not wipe out the German but locked up in front tyres which slide him into light contact with the sister Manor.

Despite seeing his race compromised Haryanto refused to directly blame his team-mate as he finished 20th place and last of the runners.

"I saw that he [Wehrlein] was struggling in the beginning of the race so I decided to make a move at turn six, I had DRS on and went up the inside," Haryanto said. "Then suddenly I saw him turn in and I had nowhere to go and I had to slow down the car and make the exit but unfortunately he clipped my front wing with his right rear tyre. It cost me a lot of time."

Wehrlein, who escaped the clash relatively unscathed to finish 17th, backed up his team-mate's comments and saw it simply as a racing incident.

"I turned in and he touched my wheel and that was it. I think it wasn't on purpose," Wehrlein said. "As long as nothing happens I am okay with it.

"For sure it could have gone wrong and then it is a different story. Nothing happened to my car, I had a damaged wing as well but it is racing."

Zdroj: crash.net