Kiwi Formula One driver Brendon Hartley has unleashed on French teammate Pierre Gasly mid-race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The 29-year-old finished 11th, out of the points again, but a good result, given he started 16th and finished in front of Gasly again.
But a points finish may have been on the cards for the Toro Rosso driver, had Gasly obeyed team orders a lot quicker than he did.
Under pressure to keep his drive in 2019, the New Zealander put in one of his best drives of the season, passing a few cars at the start, leapfrogging two in the pits and then passing Gasly, after an excellent strategy had him on new tyres with 25-laps to go.
But with the fast-finishing Renault of Carlos Sainz in his rear-view mirror, an anxious Hartley requested his team ask Gasly to let him past, given he was driving almost a second a lap quicker than the 24-year-old.
Not wanting to push his teammate into a mistake or risk yet another unnecessary collision, Hartley pointed out his predicament, which was acknowledged by his race engineer, but Gasly refused to comply, complaining that they were on different strategies and the Kiwi should fight for the position.
"I'm getting pretty close to Gasly, guys," Hartley was head saying over the team radio.
"What's going on, guys – I'm going to get caught by [Carlos] Sainz, if you don't let me past Gasly."
Hartley was told to pass at corner four, but Gasly was having none of that.
"Is he gonna let me by?" exclaimed Hartley. "What the f**k is going on? He is holding me up so much."
When his race engineer requested he get closer to his teammate, Hartley exploded.
"Mate! I'm right up his f***ing ass," he screamed. "What is happening here, guys?
"I am not attacking him, because he is supposed to be letting me by, but then he doesn't do it."
Eventually, Gasly relented and Hartley sped by, finishing a lap down in 11th, but within striking distance of the final points-scoring Force India car of Sergio Perez.
Gasly finished in 13th, after losing another spot to Sainz.
Hartley apologised for his outburst afterwards, but was clearly still frustrated at how the whole situation played out.
"Sorry about the language on the radio, guys," he said. "I wasn't trying to race him, which Is why I was getting so upset."
World champion Lewis Hamilton won the race, after leader Max Verstappen collided with the lapped Esteban Ocon.
Newshub.
