Sainz issues BLAME after Ferrari DNS nightmare in Qatar

Sam Cook
Monday 9 October 2023 20:48 - Updated: 22:02

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has said that the kerbs at the Losail International Circuit were to blame for the petrol tank issue which left him unable to start the Qatar Grand Prix.

The Spaniard had a frustrating weekend, with his performance during Friday qualifying only good enough for 12th position.

He managed to gain some points by finishing sixth in Saturday's sprint race, before damage to his fuel tank left him unable to take his place on the grid for the main event.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Sainz explained that it was likely caused by a heavy trip over the kerbs at the end of the sprint race.

"I found damage to the petrol tank and it could be due to the kerbs," he said.

"A more in-depth investigation will be needed to understand what really happened and how. In any case, the damage was irreparable because we lost too much petrol."

Ferrari's Qatar struggles

As well as Sainz's inability to start the race, his team-mate Charles Leclerc struggled to keep up with the pace of both McLaren and Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton's collision with his team-mate at the start of the race meant that Leclerc was able to bring his car home in fifth, but that was likely the maximum they could've hoped for in what was a difficult weekend for Ferrari.

Also speaking to Sky Sports F1, team boss Fred Vasseur agreed with Sainz on the potential cause of the Spaniard's issue.

“We haven’t had time to take the tank off yet, but probably [it’s due to the kerbs] because the leak seems significant, so there’s significant damage," he said.

"It probably comes from the last laps of yesterday."

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