Lance Stroll has revealed he was "escorted" back to the F1 paddock by a "military group" after retiring on the first lap of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Aston Martin driver's evening lasted one corner after Gabriel Bortoleto clattered into the side of his car at the start, terminally damaging the AMR25.
It was the second time in as many rounds that the pair have collided, but Stroll was calm about the collision when conducting his post-race press duties.
"Gabi didn't do it on purpose," the Canadian said when discussing the incident to media, including RacingNews365.
"It happens sometimes in these cold conditions, you lock up, and you lose control of the car. So yeah, it's not fun for either of us, but he didn't do it on purpose. It's racing, it can happen, these things."
When it was put to him that the Stake driver had said he wanted to find Stroll to apologise, the 27-year-old replied: "I was on the other side of the circuit for the last 50 laps, or 40 laps..."
He added: "If he doesn't, it's okay, he's a good kid, and he didn't do it on purpose. It's cold conditions, it can happen to anybody."
When asked why he had spent the vast majority of the 50-lap race on the sidelines and if he was just watching, Stroll explained that he needed military assistance to return to the paddock.
"You can't get back here because all the roads are closed, so I was trying to get back," the three-time podium finisher explained.
"Eventually, I got on a golf buggy, and there was like a military group that escorted me back here.
"So it took a while, it took 40 laps, but eventually I managed to find my way back to the paddock. I didn't have to spend the night over there."
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