Carlos Sainz has expressed that he still “completely disagrees” with the five-place penalty he will serve at this weekend’s Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix.
The Williams driver was handed the penalty following a collision with Andrea Kimi Antonelli during the United States Grand Prix last weekend.
The incident occurred on Lap 7 when Sainz attempted to overtake Antonelli into Turn 15 but made contact, sending the Mercedes driver into a spin.
Antonelli was able to continue but finished outside the points. Sainz retired due to damage to his car.
After reviewing footage and data, stewards ruled that Sainz was “predominantly” at fault and issued the grid drop for Mexico.
Sainz, however, insists the punishment does not fit the situation.
“The decision that the stewards made of giving me a five-place grid penalty for here after what happened there, I found it completely disproportionate to what the incident itself was and exposes a bit the weaknesses in the rules that we have,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“But it is what it is, I have to take it.”
He accepted partial responsibility for the contact, but still maintained that the move was fair.
“I obviously assume my responsibility for – or my share of responsibility for the incident,” he continued.
“I wish we could have both continued the race, but… the fact that they still decided to give me [a] five-place [penalty] for here is difficult to understand, difficult to accept.
“But whatever, I’ll take it.”
Meanwhile, Antonelli said he supported the stewards’ verdict.
“I have a different view on the crash, Carlos has his view, but it’s what it is and now we move on,” he commented.
“It was a shame because we were both in a decent position and obviously with the contact we basically ended both of our races.”
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