F1 News: FIA confirm dramatic LATE penalty as Red Bull cash in

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Miami Grand Prix

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FIA confirm dramatic LATE penalty for F1 star as Red Bull cash in

Red Bull gain after FIA stewards take action

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 6 May 2024 08:33 Updated: 18:06

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Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has been handed a penalty, after the conclusion of the Miami Grand Prix.

Sainz was under investigation for an incident involving McLaren's Oscar Piastri, in which the Australian's car was badly damaged, and he ended up finishing down in P13.

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Spaniard Sainz, however, managed to claim fourth, narrowly missing out on a podium position to team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Now, a penalty has seen Sainz tumble further down the order, compounding his tough weekend.

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Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri were involved in the incident

FIA slam Sainz with penalty

Sainz has been handed a five-second time penalty for causing a collision, despite there only being minimal contact between the two drivers, dropping the 29-year-old down behind Sergio Perez and into fifth.

It comes as another blow to Ferrari's constructors' championship hopes, with a four-point swing being conceded to Red Bull, extending their lead at the top to 52 points.

In an official ruling after Sainz was ordered to visit the stewards, the FIA concluded that he should be penalised for the incident that happened at the turn 17 hairpin.

"The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 81 (Oscar Piastri), the driver of Car 55 (Carlos Sainz), team representatives and reviewed video evidence and determined that Car 55 was overtaking Car 81 at Turn 17 when he lost the rear slightly and collided with Car 81," an official FIA statement on the incident read.

"The collision resulted in damage to the front wing of Car 81. It was clear to us that Car 55 was to blame for the collision. In the overtake attempt, Car 55 braked late, missed the apex and in the process lost the rear, with the resulting collision.

"Although Car 81 was trying to turn in to counter the overtaking attempt, Car 81 gave sufficient room to Car 55.

"In the circumstances, we find Car 55 to be predominantly to blame for the collision. In this case, we took into account, as mitigating factors, the fact that but for the slight loss of control of the rear by Car 55, the collision would likely not have happened and it would have been hard but good racing.

"The standard penalty for a collision is 10 seconds with 2 penalty points. In light of the mitigating circumstances, we therefore impose a 5-second time penalty with 1 penalty point.

McLaren FIA Charles Leclerc Oscar Piastri Carlos Sainz Miami Grand Prix