Hartley shaded by Toro Rosso teammate
WELLINGTON: New Zealand driver Brendon Hartley was overshadowed by his Formula One teammate as he finished a frustrating 13th at the Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday.
It was Hartley’s best finish in six drives for Toro Rosso as the car’s new setup bore fruit under floodlights at the desert circuit in Sakhir.
The race was a triumph for his French teammate, Pierre Gasly, who was fourth, ending a period of struggle for the Italian team.
The Toro Rosso team hoisted Gasly shoulderhigh after he crossed the finish line behind Ferrari winner Sebastian Vettel and Mercedes pair Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton.
Hartley matched the 13thplaced finish he achieved on debut in the United States last year and appeared far more competitive than at last month’s Australian Grand Prix.
However, he was disap pointed not to finish higher.
His hopes took a serious dent on the fourth corner of the opening lap. After starting 11th on the grid, Hartley collided with Force India driver Sergio Perez. The contact damaged the front wing of his car and earned him a 10second penalty.
He spent much of the race in the middle of the field, operating on a different tyre rotation to most others in the 20car field, and climbed as high as ninth at one stage.
Ferrari was fined £50,000 after one of its mechanics broke his leg when he was hit by Kimi Raikkonen’s carduring a pitstop.
Raikkonen, who had been running third, was told to stop immediately and retired. Ferrari said the mechanic on the left rear wheel was knocked over as Raikkonen was wrongly given the signal to leave with only three tyres replaced and the other still to be removed.
‘‘I go when the light is green. I don’t see what happens behind and unfortunately he got hurt,’’ the 2007 world champion said.
‘‘My job is to go when the light says so. Hopefully, he’s OK.’’ — NZN/Reuters