F1 star doubles down over FIA penalty disagreement at Mexican GP

Williams F1 star Carlos Sainz has addressed the FIA penalty he received last time out at COTA when questioned on the punishment at the Mexican Grand Prix.

The Spaniard was forced to retire from the US GP last weekend, after an attempted overtake on Kimi Antonelli at Turn 15 resulted in contact between the pair.

Antonelli remained in the race, although only recovered to P13 after the contact, and Sainz was slammed with a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s Mexican GP.

During Thursday’s FIA press conference in Mexico City, Sainz and Antonelli were in the hot seat being grilled by the media, where the Spaniard was asked if everything was okay between the pair of them after the COTA incident.

“Yeah. Why? For me, what happens on track always stays on track,” Sainz explained after a rather awkward pause.

He continued: “The decision that the stewards made of giving me a five-place grid penalty for here after what happened there, I found it completely disproportionate to what the incident itself was.

“It exposes a bit the weaknesses in the rules that we have. But it is what it is. I have to take it. I obviously assume my responsibility or my share of responsibility for the incident.”

Was the Sainz penalty fair?

Despite his protestations at the decision, Sainz ultimately accepted the penalty he picked up at COTA that will be applied to his starting position for Sunday’s grand prix in Mexico.

“I wish we could have both continued the race, but honestly after looking at the data and all the onboards that we looked at, the fact that they still decided to give me five places for here is difficult to understand, difficult to accept – but whatever, I'll take it,” he added.

When the question was extended to Antonelli, the Italian youngster had a difference of opinion on the incident, but refused to elaborate much further.

“I mean, it was a shame because we were both in a decent position and obviously with the contact, we basically ended both of our races,” he said.

“I have a different view on the crash. Carlos has his view, but it is what it is. Now we move on.”

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