Fresh from testing with Toro Rosso F1 last week it was widely reported that young Kiwi Brendon Hartley spun and crashed out of his latest F1 test at Jerez, Spain. But there is a different ‘spin’ on what was reported and what actually happened.
Reported on inthenews.co.uk website, Hartley explained what happened.
"We we're actually doing straight-line testing and they put very hard tyres on, I don't know, just to use them and I was just doing some laps to lose some weight, because we were doing some straight line testing," Hartley told inthenews.co.uk.
"There was no temperature at all and it was effectively like driving on ice.
"I was on my way back into the pits because it was too slippery, just like wet conditions and I lost control of the back end and touched the wall very slightly and done some damage, which put us behind a bit."
It was originally thought that British formula three champion Daniel Ricciardo, who is testing for the Red Bull team, got caught up in the Hartley's accident, as he followed the New Zealander off the track.
However, Hartley insists the spins were not connected, "Daniel span just behind me and we had the same situation, as both of us were suffering with a lack of grip on the hard tyres," said Hartley.
Mirko Bortolotti, who finished fourth in this year's Formula two championship, took over the testing with Hartley taking the drivers seat on the fourth and last day at the circuit.
