Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz Jr. has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the next round of the season in Azerbaijan, following the opening lap collision in Canada.
Sainz Jr. made contact with Haas rival Romain Grosjean on the run to Turn 3 and speared to the inside of the circuit, where he slammed into the side of Williams’ Felipe Massa.
Sainz Jr. continued head-on into the barriers, though was fortunately able to walk away uninjured, while Massa was forced to retire, with Grosjean returning to the pits for repairs.
The Spaniard was judged to have been "careless and potentially dangerous" and was handed a three-place grid drop for the next race at the Baku City Circuit, along with two penalty points, bringing his 12-month total to seven, just five points from a race ban.
“I had a good start and was in P12, trying to overtake Fernando [Alonso] around the outside of Turn 2,” said Sainz Jr.
“He got better traction than me out of there so I focused on positioning myself to try and attack him into Turn 3 and, all of a sudden, I touched with a Haas that was on my right-hand side.
“I have to say I never saw the car there, it’s simply a dead angle in my mirrors so I never knew he was there.
“If I had realised I was there, of course I would’ve been more careful and left some space.
“Once we collided I was just a passenger, crashed into the wall and that was the end of my race unfortunately.
“I’d like to say sorry, especially to Felipe, who received a touch from me… I just couldn’t do anything to avoid it. It was a big crash, but I’m fine.”
