Carlos Sainz learns Baku promotion fate after stewards reverse FIA penalty

Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend in Baku, the FIA confirmed that F1 star Carlos Sainz has had a previous penalty overturned.

Two race weekends ago in Zandvoort, the Williams driver was awarded a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points, for a collision with Liam Lawson on the safety car restart.

Lawson's rear-left wheel made contact with Sainz's front-right, and the pair were sent tumbling down the order.

When the stewards originally reviewed the decision, they deemed that Lawson had the right to the corner and Sainz was predominantly to blame for the collision.

At the time, Sainz slammed the penalty as ‘ridiculous’, with Williams submitting a right to review the following week. The stewards finally made a decision on the right to review announcing their verdict ahead of the Azerbaijan GP.

FIA stewards overturn Sainz penalty

On Saturday, September 13, the FIA confirmed that Sainz’s Zandvoort penalty had been overturned, instead deeming the collision to be a racing incident.

The stewards further stated that the incident was caused by a momentary loss of control by Lawson, and no driver was predominantly to blame for the collision.

As a result, the two penalty points Sainz was awarded have been rescinded and his total has been reduced from four, to two.

However, Sainz will not be given a promotion at the upcoming Azerbaijan GP in Baku, despite the reversed penalty.

While the stewards acknowledged he served his 10-second time penalty in the race, they confirmed there was nothing they could do to give him the place back.

The stewards stated in their official decision document: “The time penalty imposed by the Decision was served by Car 55 [Sainz] during the race.

“The Stewards have no power to remedy that served time penalty by amending the Classifications but note that the gap between Car 55 to the car ahead in the Final Classification of the race (coincidently Car 30 [Lawson]) was 17 seconds. The Decision having been rescinded, it follows that the 2 penalty points imposed on the Driver of Car 55 are to be removed.”

Therefore, Sainz's P13 finish at the Dutch GP still stands as per the final classification.

Williams welcomed the decision, and posted an official statement to their social media channels, which read: “We are grateful to the stewards for reviewing Carlos' Zandvoort penalty and are pleased they have now decided he was not at fault and that this was a racing incident.

“While it is frustrating that our race was compromised by the original decision, mistakes are part of motor racing and we will continue to work constructively with the FIA to improve stewarding processes and review the racing rules for the future.”

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