Bahrain GP: Lance Stroll slams Carlos Sainz Jr for F1 crash

The Williams and Toro Rosso drivers crashed into each other on lap 12, when Sainz rejoined the track after having made his first pitstop.

The Spaniard drove down the inside at the first corner and crashed into the side of Stroll's car, the Canadian rookie having taken the corner normally.

Both men were called to see the stewards after the race.

Stroll said Sainz had "dive-bombed" him and insisted the Toro Rosso driver was to blame.

"I got completely destroyed in my sidepod. He drove right into me," Stroll said.

"I was like 50/60 metres ahead of him in the braking zone, and he just dive-bombed as I was turning.

"He just completely drove into the side of me. I just saw the video, it's ridiculous.

"I saw him coming out of the pitlane, but he was miles behind, but he completely dove down the inside when I was in the middle of the corner. He just hit me."

Sainz disagreed with Stroll, however, and said the Williams driver should have left a gap for him.

"I knew it would be very tight at the end of the pits with Lance," Sainz said.

"I tried to take the corner around the inside. I didn't lock up the tyres and he must have not seen me and turned it straight into me and we crashed.

"You are allowed to turn in, but when you have someone inside, you have to leave at least one car's margin in case there's someone there.

"I think he simply didn't see me, and wasn't expecting me to be there.

"But I didn't overshoot the corner so I don't understand how, knowing that you are fighting for position, you don't leave a gap.

"If he had gone around the outside he would have emerged ahead of me after the corner.

"He chose to take the risk and assume no one was there."