Carlos Sainz slammed the 10-second penalty handed to him for contact with Liam Lawson during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix as “a complete joke”.
After a strong qualifying result at Zandvoort on Saturday, Sainz came into the 72-lap race with expectations of accomplishing a solid points-scoring finish.
But as he attempted make a move into Turn 1 on Lap 27 following a Safety Car restart, Lawson squeezed his rival, resulting in a puncture for the duo.
The incident was noted by the stewards, who, as per the revamped overtaking guidelines, adjudged Sainz to be at fault – owing to him not being fully alongside Lawson.
That said, the 30-year-old was not in agreement with the decision to hand him a 10-second time penalty as he trailed home in a disappointing 13th place.
“First of all, the incident is quite clear, no, how many examples we’ve seen Turn 1 Zandvoort of two corners racing side by side without contact,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“It allows cars to race each other without having unnecessary contact, but with Liam it always seems to be very difficult to make that happen.
“[Liam] prefers to have a bit of contact and risk a DNF or a puncture like we did than to actually accept having two cars side by side, which hopefully it will come with more experience to him, because he knows he’s putting too many points on the line just for an unnecessary maneuver like he did.
“But on top of that, to then get a 10-second penalty for it, I think it’s a complete joke.”
Sainz, who is one of the directors of the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), was adamant that he was going to take this matter up with the stewards.
“Honestly, I need to go now to the stewards just to get an explanation to see what is their point of view, because it’s unacceptable,” he retorted.
“I think it’s not the level of the stewards in Formula 1 if they are really considering that to be a 10-second penalty on my behalf.
“I think it’s a serious matter now that concerns me as a driver, as a GPA director and something that I will make sure I raise.”
Sainz calls out Lawson contact
The 30-year-old was pretty miffed at not only the penalty dished out to him but the way in which Lawson had decided to engage during the incident.
The Williams driver cited past examples of battles with other drivers at the exact corner and called the Kiwi driver out for his tendency to engage in risky defensive techniques.
“The nature of this track allows for two cars to go side by side. It’s not a 90 degree corner where you very quickly run out of road,” he remarked.
“It’s a flowing 180-degree super wide grip on the inside. There’s grip on the outside. You can perfectly… I’ve raced Lewis [Hamilton], I’ve raced Checo [Sergio Perez], I’ve raced Oscar [Piastri], I’ve raced Charles [Leclerc].
“I’ve raced so many drivers doing the move I did today. So many other cars in the last four years at the start racing around inside, outside. High banking, low banking without really having contact.
“If the guy in the inside doesn’t want to have contact. If the guy in the inside decides to open the wheel and create a contact or risk a contact, then it’s on their behalf. But to them, the guy on the outside receiving a penalty for it is what concerns me the most.”
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