Carlos Sainz expressed his dissatisfaction with Lewis Hamilton‘s defensive tactics during the final lap of the Miami Grand Prix. The Williams driver attempted a daring overtaking maneuver in turn seventeen, which resulted in a collision with Hamilton’s Ferrari. Although neither driver was penalized, Sainz made it clear that he believed Hamilton had crossed a line.
At the start of the final lap, Lewis Hamilton (P8) was visibly struggling with his worn mediums. Carlos Sainz (P9) saw an opportunity and initiated a late braking maneuver at the end of the straight. Hamilton responded aggressively with a defensive move to the left, resulting in contact between the two cars. The stewards investigated the incident but decided not to issue any penalties. They concluded that both drivers were partly to blame for the incident. “Neither driver is considered primarily at fault, so no further action will be taken,” was their verdict.
After the race, Sainz voiced his displeasure with the decision: “I just think he (Hamilton) was doing his best to defend. I went into the final corner and he swerved as soon as he saw me dive into the inside. That caused the contact. Honestly, I find that quite typical. But if you strictly look at the rules, he really shouldn’t move that much. But well, that’s what happens in the final lap.”
A ‘Messy Race’
The Miami GP was far from smooth for Sainz, who lost several places despite a strong start. The Williams driver initially climbed to sixth place by overtaking teammate Alex Albon, but his pace quickly dropped. The Spaniard stated that he had been dealing with damage from the start. “We had to start on a used tyre due to some operational errors over the weekend,” he explained. “Everyone around me started on a new tyre, so I knew I would be at a disadvantage.”
Furthermore, Sainz suffered damage at the start after contact with Albon. “He (Albon) made a mistake afterwards, so I was able to overtake him,” continued the 30-year-old driver. “Then we were asked to maintain our positions. I don’t know if he understood that, but he overtook me again,” Sainz blamed his teammate. “After that, I did everything I could to keep up with the leading group. For example, by keeping Charles (Leclerc) behind me – notably on a used tyre and with a damaged car.”
“I gave it my all,” said Sainz. “Of course, I was the first to come in for new tyres, but then the virtual safety car came out,” he sighed. “As a result, the rest got a free pit stop, so I was under pressure again.” Despite a messy race, Sainz put up a strong fight against Leclerc and Hamilton. “In the end, I had a few nice battles with the Ferraris,” he concluded optimistically. The ninth place earned him two championship points. With Albon in P5, it was a double points finish for Williams, which is making progress in the championship.
