FIA announce Carlos Sainz penalty as Williams suffer Azerbaijan Grand Prix heartbreak

Carlos Sainz, Williams, FIA, Madring, Spanish GP, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Azerbaijan Grand Prix

FIA announce Carlos Sainz penalty as Williams suffer Azerbaijan Grand Prix heartbreak

Sainz hit with double punishment

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Friday 25 September 2026 19:55

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Carlos Sainz has been dealt an Azerbaijan Grand Prix blow after being hit with a grid penalty on a bittersweet Friday for Williams.

Williams have brought an upgraded package to the car this weekend, desperate to get out of a poor run that has seen them fail to score in the last eight grands prix weekends.

It was back in Monaco at the sixth race of the campaign when Alex Albon took the team's last points, claiming eighth and four points in what is the team's best result of the season.

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For a team that were best of the rest outside of McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari last term, being stuck ninth in the world championship, above only the struggling Aston Martin and new boys Cadillac, has been a nasty shock.

There were hugely encouraging signs for the team on Friday though when for the first time this season they, with Carlos Sainz, crept through into the final qualifying session featuring the top 10 drivers.

While Albon narrowly missed out, the pace from both cars for the Grove outfit were highly encouraging.

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Carlos Sainz takes five-place penalty

But after the session, Williams were stripped of a top 10 start when Sainz was given a five-place grid penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags.

In a further blow to the Spaniard, he was also hit with two penalty points, taking him up to four for a 12-month period.

FIA steward reaction

The FIA stewards said: "The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 55 (Carlos Sainz), team representative and reviewed video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence.

"Single Yellow Flags were displayed in Marshalling Sectors 4 and 5, in particular after Turn 2 and on the approach to Turn 3.

"The Yellow indications were clearly visible and Sainz had also received a radio warning from the Team: “Yellow ahead, lift.”

Carlos Sainz failed to slow in his Williams under yellow flags

"Sainz confirmed at the hearing that he was aware of the Yellow Flag situation.

"Sainz explained that he intended to demonstrate a reduction in speed across the Yellow area as a whole. He stated that he did not consider it necessary to reduce speed on the straight and instead intended to demonstrate his response when approaching and exiting Turn 3. He considered this to be a “global lift” covering the consecutive Yellow sectors.

"He further explained that the car which had originally caused the Yellow was no longer in the run-off area and that he expected the Yellow Flags to be withdrawn.

"The Stewards did not accept this interpretation. Where consecutive marshalling sectors are subject to Yellow Flag conditions, a driver must demonstrate a significant reaction to reduce speed in each individual Yellow marshalling sector.

"A reduction in a subsequent sector cannot retrospectively satisfy the requirement applicable to the preceding Yellow sector. The obligation is also not dependent on the driver’s own assessment of whether the original hazard remains present within a particular part of the Yellow sector.

"The telemetry clearly showed that Sainz's reaction to the Yellow occurred only in Marshalling Sector 5. There was no meaningful reduction in speed in Marshalling Sector 4 which could realistically be attributed to a response to the Yellow. Indeed, Sainz recorded his fastest time of the session in Marshalling Sector 4.

"The Stewards therefore did not accept that the subsequent lift in Marshalling Sector 5 constituted a sufficient “global” response covering both sectors. This is distinguishable from cases where the telemetry demonstrates a significant response to the Yellow even though the overall sector time reduction is relatively small.

"In the present case, Sainz was aware of the Yellow, had received an explicit warning from the Team, the Yellow indications were clearly visible and the telemetry established that he did not demonstrate the required reaction in Marshalling Sector 4.

"The Stewards therefore determine that Sainz failed to sufficiently reduce speed under the Single Yellow Flag in Marshalling Sector 4. The standard penalty under the Penalty Guidelines for this infringement during Qualifying is a drop of 5 grid positions."

Sainz is now set to start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 14th position, having initially qualified ninth, on Saturday morning, with Albon boosted up to P12.

Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

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F1 FIA Carlos Sainz Williams Azerbaijan Grand Prix Baku City Circuit