Autosportfoto

Monaco GP: Button defends move, blames mirrors for Wehrlein clash

Jenson Button has blamed the poor vision available to drivers from the wing mirrors for the accident that saw Pascal Wehrlein's Sauber flip up and come to rest on its side during the closing stages of the Monaco Grand Prix.

The German was running ahead of Button on lap 60 when the returning ex-champion dived for the inside into Portier but instead clipped the Sauber, sending it onto its side and into the barrier with Wehrlein's head resting against the Armco.

Despite the dramatic outcome and initially difficult in extricating himself, Wehrlein walked away from the incident and was cleared by the doctors after a visit to the medical centre.

Button, however, has defended the move having spent a full 60 laps bottled up behind the Sauber following early stops for both, blaming the lack of vision from the mirrors before revealing he raised the issue with the FIA.

"I went up the inside and I thought it was on otherwise I wouldn't have made the move. Got alongside, well from where I was I thought I was alongside him, but then I looked across and I thought 'he hasn't seen me at all'. These cars are so difficult to see out of the back of.

"I've been telling the team and the FIA that this weekend. I tried to back out of it, but it was too late and we touched. I've never seen a car go up on its side before. I don't know if that's the way the tyre is or if that's just unlucky today. Horrible to see."

Wehrlein escaped unhurt from the collision, but has revealed he will be forced to undergo more checks on his back following an injury earlier in the season. The Sauber driver put the full blame on Button for the incident though

With Button also failing to finish as a result of the collision, it brought a disappointing end to his one-off comeback event in place of the Indy 500 committed Fernando Alonso. 

Zdroj: crash.net