When Gasly doesn't listen to his team and provokes Hartley's anger

The diplomatic incident went relatively unnoticed amid the commotion created by the clash between Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Esteban Ocon (Racing Point Force India) at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, but he made the clan cringe Toro Rosso.

During the last laps at Interlagos, Pierre Gasly, equipped with medium tires, sails in 11th place. But the Frenchman loses more and more grip, causing his teammate to come back from behind. Brendon Hartley. The latter rolls with super soft rubber, much fresher and offering more grip.

That's when Brendon Hartley, put under pressure by the Renault de Carlos Sainz Jr, asks his team what will happen. “I knew I was going to get one of three answers: you fight on the track, you hold positions, or he lets you pass. I heard the third option, explains the New Zealander.

I had Carlos (Sainz Jr) just behind, I didn't attack, I was waiting for him to let me pass on four or five occasions. I had to protect my line because the Renault was close. » Except that instead of complying, the future pilot Red Bull stay ahead!

So, Brendon Hartley frankly loses his temper on the radio. “Will he let me pass?” Dude, what the hell? » Before reiterating his surprise and anger. “Dude, I’m in her fucking ass!” »

With two rounds remaining, the double world championEndurance with Porsche finds the opening. “I was able to carry out my overtaking maneuver cleanly. 11th is a bit frustrating, I narrowly missed the points but it's a good result for the efforts made by the team. I did the most I could achieve. »

For his part, Pierre Gasly defended his attitude. “It was fitted with new super soft tyres, I was on the ropes with my medium tyres. I said on the radio that if he was much faster than me, he could overtake me. But for one reason or another, he didn't do it for 10 laps. When there is such a delta (performance. Editor’s note), it shouldn't be such a hassle to overtake, he comments.

“Things happen differently when you are outside the top 10. Today (Sunday), there was nothing to gain. It's fair to say I wanted to fight to the finish. » Journalists present in Sao Paulo reminded him of the incident involving Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz in Singapore in 2015. Already at Toro Rosso, the Dutchman had simply refused to let his Catalan teammate pass.

“It was different because they were fighting for points. I'm a pilot, I'm here to fight. I'm not here to let guys overwhelm me », specifies the 2 GP2016 Series champion. That’s clear!

Discover the analysis of the Brazilian GP carried out by our special correspondents in AUTO issue 2191hebdo, available from Monday evening in digital version on all platforms, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.