Fuming Carlos Sainz questions competency of F1 stewards after "joke" penalty

Carlos Sainz lashed out at Dutch Grand Prix stewards for what he labelled a “complete joke” penalty, questioning whether they are fit for Formula 1.

The Williams driver was found guilty by the stewards for causing a collision with Racing Bulls rival Liam Lawson at Turn 1 when the race resumed after a safety car intervention on lap 26.

Both drivers suffered punctures that dropped them to the back of the grid, with neither recovering enough ground to finish inside the points.

Sainz had already raged at stewards over team radio during the race, saying, “It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my life.”

Carlos Sainz blames Liam Lawson

Speaking afterwards in the media pen after taking the chequered flag in 13th place, the Spaniard launched a scathing attack on the stewards while also questioning Lawson’s actions.

“It is quite clear how many examples we've seen in Turn 1 of two cars racing side by side without contact,” he told the media, including Crash.net.

“It's a corner that allows two cars to race each other without really having to have any unnecessary contact, but with Liam, it always seems to be very difficult to make that happen.

“He always seems to prefer to have a bit of contact and risk a DNF or a puncture like we did, than to actually accept having two cars side by side, which hopefully it will come with more experience to him, because he knows he's putting too many points on the line just for an unnecessary maneuver like he did. 

“But on top of that to get a 10 second penalty for it, I think it's a complete joke.”

Carlos Sainz questions F1 stewards at Dutch Grand Prix

Sainz revealed that he intends to speak directly to the stewards’ panel and seek an explanation for the penalty.

“Honestly, I need to go now to the stewards just to get an explanation to see what is the point of view of the incident because it's unacceptable,” he said.

“I think it's not the level of steward in Formula 1 if they are really considering that to be a 10-second penalty on my behalf.

“I think it's a serious matter now that concerns me as a driver, as a GPA director, and something that I will make sure of.”

He added: “It's something that is very concerning. I'm talking calmly and eloquently, and  trying to pick my words the best possible way without trying to put a bad word for anyone.

“But what I've seen today and what I've suffered today is something that concerns me for myself, but [also] for the other drivers and for motorsport in general, if they really think this is how a penalty should be applied to the guy that is on the outside.”

Sainz clarified that he had no intention of overtaking Lawson around the outside of Turn 1, and was merely lining himself for a move later in the lap.

“I wasn't even really trying to race Liam that hard,” he said. “I just had a gap around the outside and I said, ‘okay, I'm going to start getting him a bit out of position for Turn 2-3’.

“I wasn't trying to pass him around the outside. I was just trying to have a side by side with him to then get him a bit of line for Turn 2-3, and then suddenly I have contact which caught me completely off guard and by surprise. 

“You need to pick your battles and probably Liam in his first year now, he's deciding to have a bit of this approach of 'crash or no overtake’. “But it's something I'll [keep]in mind. 

“Story of my season so far. again a race where I could have finished P5 where Alex [Albon] is, 10 points. That's for something that I cannot understand. It still gets out of our hands.”