FR3.5: Sorensen blamed for aerial crash

Lotus F1 junior Marco Sorensen has been given a five-place grid penalty for causing the crash that flipped his car over in the Formula Renault 3.5 season opener at Monza.

The Dane's car was sent upside down into the pitwall at high speed when he touched wheels with Jazeman Jaafar at the end of the first lap. The incident was investigated by the stewards, who decided that Sorensen was responsible for the crash as he moved over on Jaafar.

Sorensen said that he disagreed with the decision, and explained that he was following the slipstream of the car ahead.

"I was quite a bit in front," he said. "I was just following the slipstream, so I moved a bit inside. There was plenty of space for another car, and as long as I'm in front I'm allowed to choose my line.

"[Jaafar] says that I turned really sharp into him, but I've seen the video and I thought he should have moved with me. He just went straight with his steering instead of giving space. Normally if you are the car behind you don't stick to your line like that.

"I don't understand the decision [of the stewards]. They said in the drivers' briefing that as long as you leave enough space it's OK."

TERRIFYING MOMENTS

Sorensen added that the two worst moments of the incident were his initial flight through the air and then seeing fluid leaking from the car when he was trapped inside it.

"When I went up into the air I thought I was f**ked," he added. "You know you are going to hit the wall.

"The first hit was hard, but I could see it coming and I had time to prepare for it. Then when I was upside down and I couldn't get out, I saw a liquid coming out of the car.

"That was the worst feeling. I already started thinking that if it ignited I was trapped. I was yelling for people to flip the car over to get me out."

Originally on Autosport.com