“He put Gabi in the wall" - Franco Colapinto slams Lance Stroll’s Brazil GP clash

Franco Colapinto offered his support to Brazil Grand Prix fan favourite Gabriel Bortoleto following his first lap exit - and criticised Lance Stroll's defence against Bortoleto into Turn 10.

Bortoleto, who had endured a dismal return home after crashing out in the sprint race, had attempted to mount an early recovery from the back of the field in Sunday's contest. The Sauber driver followed Stroll through the infield section, hoping to make a move on the Canadian at Bico de Pato.

Stroll was moving to the left as Bortoleto tried to stick a nose in around the outside, precipitating contact between the two causing the Sauber to hit the wall.

Colapinto, who had a view of the incident from his own position behind on-track, pinned the blame on Stroll and accused the Aston Martin driver of failing to look in his mirrors.

"Stroll is just always taking people out, just not looking in the mirrors, leaving no track, and he put Gabi in the wall," Colapinto stated. "It's what he does every time."

Bortoleto dialled back on his own criticism, stating that it was simply a racing incident and was keen to point out that Stroll was usually a lot more fair.

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

The Paulista had otherwise been happy with his own start to the race and felt he was set to make further progress before falling out of the race before completing the first lap.

"I overtook two cars, it was Lewis [Hamilton] and Colapinto in the outside of six," Bortoleto recalled. "It was a nice move. And then Lance, I was just side by side with him out of nine. There's no pointing fingers here. I think, you know, just lap one and I was in the outside.

"He opened a little bit more than what there was of space there. He clipped my front tyre and I ended up in the wall.

"I think it's a racing incident. Obviously, if he had given a bit more space, I would have done the corner, and probably overtaken him because he had worse tyres than I had because I was on softs.

"But again, it's a racing incident. He didn't do it on purpose, I'm sure. Every time I fight with him, he's fair with me. So it's just racing."