Stroll on Perez clash: The corner was mine

Lance Stroll says he had track position and felt Sergio Perez should have yielded more in their first-lap Chinese Grand Prix clash which sent the Williams driver out of the race.

The Canadian teenager's race in China unfortunately lasted just 10 corners having made solid progress from 10th on the grid but after hitting the front right of Perez's Force India the Williams driver suffered broken suspension and became stranded in the gravel trap.

Stroll, who was half a car length ahead of Perez at the point of contact, felt he had the corner won and held the racing line when he collided with the Force India.

"I was hit from the rear at Turn 10 and that was the end of my race," Stroll said. "I was in front, knew the corner was mine and had to turn in eventually. It was just unfortunate as that was my race over.

"I got hit and then the car was broken, most likely with a puncture and damaged suspension."

FIA race stewards investigated the clash between Stroll and Perez but judged it purely as a racing incident with neither driver picking up a penalty.

Stroll is keen to move on at the third round of his rookie F1 campaign as he heads to a track he has raced at before in Bahrain.

"We have some positives to take out of this weekend, as the qualifying was good, even if the race was not what we wanted," he said.

"But it is still early days and there are a lot more opportunities. I am now looking forward to Bahrain next weekend and that is what I am concentrating on now."

Stroll has failed to finish in both of his opening two F1 races after suffering brake failure on his debut in Australia. Perez recovered from the clash to finish ninth albeit a lap down on the leaders but ahead of Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon.