Toro Rosso drivers Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley have revealed that a miscommunication was to blame for their collision at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Gasly hit Hartley at Turn 14 on lap 30 in Shanghai, spreading debris across the track and forcing a period under the safety car that would come to shape the remainder of the race - eventually won by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
The French driver, who finished fourth in Bahrain last time out, was given a 10-second penalty after being deemed responsible for the incident, but both drivers are in agreement over the cause of the crash.
"I was catching Brendon and we were on two different strategies," said Gasly. "At some point we would need a driver swap and they told me on the radio 'okay Brendon is going to let you past' at the end of the straight.
"I expected him to let me by, I expected him to give me some space and I expected him to see me as I was quite close to him.
"I went on the inside and finally, I don't know if he didn't see me but I expected him to leave a bit of space for me to turn. I was on the inside and it was too late, there was nothing I could do. I tried to brake to avoid him but it was too late, we made contact and that was it.
"Next time we need to make sure we have better communication between each other."
Hartley added: "I've just been chatting to Pierre; clearly a miscommunication.
"We swapped positions on the first stint as well because I was struggling on the ultrasoft. I let him by on the exit of Turn 14, and the second time I was asked, I planned to do the same, but my feeling is, I don't know, he must have thought that I was opening a door on entry, which was not the case.
"Clearly a miscommunication. I think he thought I was letting him by, but I planned to let him by on corner exit as we were on different strategies."
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