Carlos Sainz has expressed his dissatisfaction with the time penalty given to Oscar Piastri in Brazil. The Australian received a ten-second penalty for an incident with Andrea Kimi Antonelli during the opening phase of the race in São Paulo, a decision that Sainz, the current chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), believes was unjustified. Sainz intends to discuss with the FIA how the stewards interpret the racing guidelines.
Oscar Piastri was given a ten-second penalty for an incident with Andrea Kimi Antonelli. During the restart in the opening phase of the Brazilian race, the Australian attempted to overtake both the Italian and Charles Leclerc on the inside, but instead caused a pile-up. Antonelli squeezed the blocking Piastri, causing the Australian to collide with the Mercedes. Antonelli was then unable to avoid Leclerc, resulting in the Monegasque being forced out of the race. The stewards identified Piastri as the main culprit.
‘Unacceptable’
Carlos Sainz, who has been co-chairman of the GPDA since February this year, finds the penalty given to the Australian absurd. “I think we urgently need to have a talk (with the FIA) and try to resolve this,” the Spaniard told the media in Las Vegas. “The fact that Oscar was penalized in Brazil is frankly unacceptable, considering this is the pinnacle of motorsport.”
“Anyone who watches races knows that this was not Oscar’s fault at all,” Sainz continues his defense of the McLaren driver. “Anyone who has ever driven a race car knows that he could not have done anything to prevent the accident. Yet he was given a ten-second penalty.”
Multiple Incidents
The penalty for Piastri in Brazil, however, is not the first decision by the stewards this year that Sainz does not understand. “I didn’t understand my own penalty in Zandvoort, or the penalty for Ollie (Bearman) when we collided in Monza. I also didn’t understand how I got a ten-second penalty in Austin. There have been not one, but multiple incidents this year that are miles away from where the sport should be.”
Although Sainz again advocates for the appointment of permanent stewards, the Spaniard is not entirely sure what the right permanent solution is. “It’s hard to judge, because it can go both ways. You can criticize the way the guidelines are set up, and we ask the stewards to apply those guidelines as strictly as possible. The stewards are just doing their job. Or are the guidelines just guidelines and should the stewards not see them as leading? It can go both ways. I’m not sure what the solution is, but for me, after what I saw in Brazil, it’s very clear that something is not quite working.”
