FIA rescinds Sainz grid penalty after Bahrain blunder

The FIA has corrected a controversial error by canceling a three-place grid penalty initially imposed on Williams driver Carlos Sainz for the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, following a tumultuous Bahrain Grand Prix.

The decision, which sparked confusion in the paddock, stemmed from a mix-up over whether Sainz had served a 10-second time penalty during the race.

The drama unfolded when the Spaniard clashed with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli at Sakhir’s Turn 10 and was subsequently handed a 10-second time penalty as well as two penalty points on his super licence.

The incident inflicted severe damage to the right-hand sidepod of Sainz’s FW47, derailing his race. Determined to avoid carrying the penalty forward, Williams called Sainz into the pits on lap 44 to serve the 10 seconds, fitting new soft tyres for good measure.

He completed one more lap before the team retired the car due to the extent of the damage.

Post-race, however, the FIA stewards issued a document claiming Sainz had not served the penalty, as his retirement allegedly preceded the stop.

Citing Article 54.3 of F1’s Sporting Regulations, they converted the unserved time penalty into a three-place grid drop for Jeddah, a decision frowned upon by the Williams camp. Sainz, already grappling with a tough start to his Williams tenure, faced the prospect of another setback.

Video Evidence Clears the Air

The penalty notice didn’t last long. Within minutes, video evidence surfaced confirming that Sainz had indeed served the 10-second penalty before Williams pulled the plug on his race.

The FIA’s race control system, meant to flag served penalties, had malfunctioned, leaving stewards unaware of the pit stop’s purpose. By the time the error was caught – barely 10 minutes after the initial announcement – the grid drop was already public, fueling frustration and confusion.

The FIA promptly issued a revised statement, noting, “Penalty was served and should not be converted to a grid position penalty.” The grid drop was rescinded, sparing Sainz a handicap in Saudi Arabia.

However, the two penalty points from the Antonelli clash remain, bringing his 12-month total to three. For Williams, the correction was a rare moment of relief in a season where Sainz has struggled to match teammate Alex Albon’s early form.

Lawson’s Double Trouble

While Sainz dodged a bullet, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson wasn’t so lucky. The New Zealander endured a bruising Bahrain race, picking up a hefty 15 seconds in time penalties for causing two separate collisions.

The stewards also tacked on three penalty points to his super-license, pushing his 12-month tally to five.

The Kiwi’s penalties highlighted the FIA’s rigorous enforcement in Bahrain, where the stewards had their hands full.

Alpine’s Jack Doohan also felt their wrath, copping a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, while Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg faced the ultimate punishment – disqualification for excessive plank wear, the same fate that befell Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in China last month.

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