Carlos Sainz handed ‘ridiculous’ 10-place grid penalty after drain cover crash at Las Vegas Grand Prix
Carlos Sainz has been handed a 10-place grid penalty after his Ferrari required repairs when striking a manhole cover during the chaotic first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Free practice 1 was halted after just nine minutes in Nevada in a farcical start to Formula 1’s return to Sin City, with second practice also delayed. Ferrari have been forced to put a new engine into Sainz’s vehicle and change the chassis after the incident. And stewards have levied a grid penalty against the Spanish driver, despite a request from the Italian team to not punish their installation of a new engine given the “highly unusual external circumstances”. LIVE! Follow updates from the Las Vegas Grand Prix Though conceding that Ferrari were not at fault, the race stewards said in a statement that they had to enforce “the regulations as they are written”, and thus punish Sainz. The statement continued: “Accordingly, the mandatory penalty specified under Article 28.3 of the Sporting Regulations must be applied. “The Stewards note that if they had the authority to grant a derogation in what they consider in this case to be mitigating, unusual and unfortunate circumstances, they would have done so, however the regulations do not allow such action.” The action is set to resume in front of empty stands with spectators sent home after FP2 was delayed. Speaking on Sky Sports, expert analyst Karun Chandhok described the punishment for a battery change caused by the circuit as “ridiculous”. “I don’t think there’s been precedent and therefore there could have been a dispensation signed by all the other teams.” Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, added: “I know it’s a regulation but can not all the teams agree that they should get a pass?” Read More Las Vegas GP resumes in front of empty stands as fans sent home at 1:30am Watch: Sainz hits loose drain cover on Las Vegas track as F1 practice turns to chaos Toto Wolff launches furious defence of F1 after absurd start to Las Vegas GP
Carlos Sainz has been handed a 10-place grid penalty after his Ferrari required repairs when striking a manhole cover during the chaotic first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Free practice 1 was halted after just nine minutes in Nevada in a farcical start to Formula 1’s return to Sin City, with second practice also delayed.
Ferrari have been forced to put a new engine into Sainz’s vehicle and change the chassis after the incident.
And stewards have levied a grid penalty against the Spanish driver, despite a request from the Italian team to not punish their installation of a new engine given the “highly unusual external circumstances”.
Though conceding that Ferrari were not at fault, the race stewards said in a statement that they had to enforce “the regulations as they are written”, and thus punish Sainz.
The statement continued: “Accordingly, the mandatory penalty specified under Article 28.3 of the Sporting Regulations must be applied.
“The Stewards note that if they had the authority to grant a derogation in what they consider in this case to be mitigating, unusual and unfortunate circumstances, they would have done so, however the regulations do not allow such action.”
The action is set to resume in front of empty stands with spectators sent home after FP2 was delayed.
Speaking on Sky Sports, expert analyst Karun Chandhok described the punishment for a battery change caused by the circuit as “ridiculous”.
“I don’t think there’s been precedent and therefore there could have been a dispensation signed by all the other teams.”
Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, added: “I know it’s a regulation but can not all the teams agree that they should get a pass?”
Read More
Las Vegas GP resumes in front of empty stands as fans sent home at 1:30am
Watch: Sainz hits loose drain cover on Las Vegas track as F1 practice turns to chaos
Toto Wolff launches furious defence of F1 after absurd start to Las Vegas GP
