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Gasly surprised Leclerc wasn't investigated over first-lap incident

Pierre Gasly was forced to retire from the Styrian Grand Prix due to damage sustained in a first-lap clash with Charles Leclerc. Leclerc was not investigated over the incident and this came as a surprise to Gasly.

Pierre Gasly admits he was surprised that Charles Leclerc was not investigated by the stewards over their first-lap clash during the Styrian Grand Prix, which forced Gasly to retire from the race. The pair were involved in an incident on the run up to Turn 3. Leclerc sustained damage to his front wing but, after making a pit stop to replace it, was able to put in a strong recovery drive to finish the Grand Prix in seventh. Gasly was unable to continue though and the Frenchman thinks this was reason enough for the stewards to investigate. "I must say I was a bit surprised at the time that there was no further investigation," Gasly told RacingNews365.com and other select media. "Obviously it wasn't done on purpose, and it's not something which Charles deliberately did, but for sure it had quite a big consequence on my race. "Especially after seeing Valtteri [Bottas] getting [a] three [place] grid penalty for losing the control of his car in the pit lane but not really affecting anyone else's race, and this, which obviously had an impact on my race. Yeah, I must say I was a bit surprised." Despite this, Gasly says an investigation would ultimately not have changed his race, though he intends to potentially discuss the issue with race director Michael Masi. "At the end of the day I just care about my own race and that would not [have] changed anything on that side," the AlphaTauri driver said. "But [it's] just something we're probably going to talk with Michael." Gasly has already had a discussion with Leclerc - who he is good friends with - about the incident. "He came to see me after the race. I was still p*ssed off, it doesn't matter even if you're friends, I was still quite upset. But I know him, I know the way he races, he is a fair guy and he didn't do it on purpose. "It's just hard, but it's part of racing. These things happen once in a while. We've been in Formula 1 together for four years, came together quite close many times and unfortunately this time I had to retire. We just need to make sure that doesn't happen any more."

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