• Belgian Grand Prix

Sutil triggered shunt with di Resta - Maldonado

ESPN Staff
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Pastor Maldonado was penalised for his clash with the Force Indias © Getty Images
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Pastor Maldonado said Adrian Sutil triggered his collision with Paul di Resta at the Belgian Grand Prix, which resulted in a stop-go penalty for the Williams driver.

Maldonado made contact with the Force Indias after running wide in the final chicane while fighting for position with Esteban Gutierrez. The collision with Adrian Sutil was only minor but the following shunt with di Resta was enough to put the latter out of the race.

The stewards argued that Maldonado had caused a collision with di Resta and penalised him as a result, but the Williams driver felt the penalty was unfair.

"I was touched by Adrain before [the collision with Paul] and the car jumped and I lost control," he said. "We crossed lines because I let go of the steering wheel - it was quite hard, the impact with Adrian. I was disappointed for the penalty because I think it was caused by the first touch with Sutil. I'm disappointed and I'm disappointed for di Resta.

"I ran wide because Gutierrez pulled me a bit wider. I was trying to recover the line and Sutil, as soon we were between the corners in the middle of the chicane, was crossing my line going from the outside to the inside. He touched my front wing, part of the front wing went under the car and I lost traction from the front of the car so there was nothing I could do. It was nothing to do with di Resta, I was completely compromised by Sutil."

Asked specifically if he blamed Sutil, he said: "It's hard to say, this corner is very difficult because they come one after another. He crossed my line in a very aggressive way. I didn't defend, I didn't do anything, I was crossed by him."

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