12th in Australia, Sainz doesn’t understand a penalty that is too “unfair”
After being penalized for colliding with Fernando Alonso during the third start at the Australian Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver did not hide his frustration after losing a fourth place that would have meant 12 points at the finish line.
After the abandonment of Ferrari No. 16, after just three turns, all hopes for the Australian Grand Prix rested on the 55 car driven by Carlos Sainz. Starting from the third row on the starting grid, he made a pit stop during the first intervention of the safety car, following Alex Albon’s accident at the wheel of his Williams in the 7th lap. However, the red flag waved a few laps later dropped the Spanish driver to eleventh position.
On the restart, he managed to climb up to fourth place, while resisting Pierre Gasly’s Alpine for the majority of the race, before Kevin Magnussen’s crash once again interrupted the race with a second red flag on the 56th lap.
On the third lap, Sainz tries to defend against Gasly by delaying his braking at the first turn. The Ferrari driver then collides with the rear right wheel of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, who was in third position and spins out.
For this mistake, the stewards will impose 5 seconds of penalties, which will result in Sainz finishing 12th in a highly eventful Grand Prix.
After the race, he did not hide his anger and his incomprehension about the decision made by the race direction.
« Oh, sorry. Right now, I can’t talk. I’m too angry, too disappointed, too… I can’t say anything. »
I prefer to go see the commissioners to have the penalty cancelled, because I don’t think I deserve it and it’s the most unfair penalty I have ever seen in my life.
« I will first go see the commissioners. I had to come first to the television enclosure; if I don’t come [here], they will give me another penalty, so… »
(s) Sorry, I prefer not to talk. I will come back later, after going to see the commissioners.
A difficult start to the season for Scuderia Ferrari, currently occupying the 4th place in the constructors’ standings with 26 points, compared to last year at the same time when they were in 1st place with 104 points.
