Carlos Sainz says there will be discussions on his penalty against Andrea Kimi Antonelli in larger terms in Qatar briefing of F1 drivers and the FIA.
Williams’ Sainz revealed that there will be a larger discussion on driving standard and racing overall in a drivers’ briefing in Qatar, where he will also add on his penalty against Antonelli from Austin. The Spaniard tried an inside move which resulted in contact between the two.
He tried the same move on Oliver Bearman few laps before that, and it worked, but with Antonelli, the Italian turned and they made contact. Sainz was wholly responsible for the incident and was handed a 10s time penalty, which didn’t sit well with the Spaniard.
Instead of a discussion in Mexico’s drivers’ briefing, Sainz noted that it can be discussed in Qatar, where they are slated for a larger discussion on driving guidelines. I think it’s not something to discuss in the drivers’ briefing, because it’s not like you’re going to change anything. “I think it’s something maybe to discuss more in Qatar, where we’re having a conversation about rules in general – about driving guidelines, I think they call them now – which is something I’ve been quite vocal about,” he said.
“A guideline is not a rule. A guideline can help you to see an accident or try and evaluate an accident, but it’s a guideline – it’s not a rule. And sometimes these guidelines are being applied for any kind of situation on track, which I find a bit interesting and not exactly the way I would judge an accident if I was a steward,” summed up Sainz, who said he moved on from the incident quickly.
He didn’t have any malice against Antonelli, but he couldn’t understand the penalty even after looking at the onboards. This is the discussion he wants to have in Qatar. “For me, what happens on track always stays on track,” said Sainz. “Then obviously, 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.
“It exposes a bit the weaknesses in the rules that we have. But it is what it is. I have to take it. I obviously assume my responsibility or my share of responsibility for the incident. I wish we could have both continued the race, but honestly after looking at the data and all the onboards that we looked at, the fact that they still decided to give me five places for here is difficult to understand, difficult to accept – but whatever, I’ll take it,” summed up Sainz.
Here’s Carlos Sainz on Mexico GP
