Ricciardo clash "on the limit of legality" - Sainz

Carlos Sainz has described Daniel Ricciardo's United States Grand Prix defence as being "on the limit of legality" after the two drivers made contact in Sunday's race.

On lap 43 at the Circuit of the Americas, Ferrari's Sainz attempted to pass McLaren's Ricciardo on the outside of turn 13 for fifth place.

Defending the position, Ricciardo left minimal space for the Spaniard which resulted in contact being made and Sainz's SF21 sustaining minor front wing and floor damage.

After immediately complaining on the radio the duel "got a bit dirty" and suggesting Ricciardo had made contact on purpose, Sainz stated afterwards that he still believed the incident tested the limit of the regulations.

"For me, obviously I think it was on the limit of legality because he is obviously on the inside, I am on the outside," said Sainz.

"I have everything to lose being on the outside but normally the car on the inside, you are always trying to run the car on the left out of the road."

Refusing to back down on his claim aired in the heat of the moment, Sainz reiterated: “Of course he did it on purpose.

"He wanted to leave me without room on the corner exit with the caveat that we touched. We felt the touch.

"If he would have done it with clean perfect defending, just that slight contact that we had was maybe a bit on the limit for me but if I was in his position I would have done exactly the same.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t have tried to have contact like we had in the end but the guy on the inside has the right to run the car on the outside out of road."

Not wanting to be misunderstood, Sainz, who finished the race seventh behind fifth-placed Ricciardo, stated the Australian had been within his right to act as he did.

“If I have explained myself correctly, he was inside his right to do what he did," explained Sainz.

"Just the little contact that he gave me I think was avoidable and that is what triggered my reaction on the radio when we are in an emotional situation.

“For the race, it was a good fun battle.”

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