Furious Sainz blasts FIA stewards over ‘joke’ Dutch GP penalty

Carlos Sainz was left fuming after Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix, unloading a fiery critique of the FIA stewards’ decision to slap him with a 10-second penalty for a collision with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson.

The Williams driver didn’t hold back, branding the penalty a “complete joke” and questioning the competency of the stewards in a heated post-race media session.

The incident, which occurred on lap 26 at Turn 1 after a safety car restart, left both drivers with punctures and out of the points, amplifying Sainz’s frustration on a day where he felt a top-five finish – which his teammate Alex Albon achieved – was within reach.

A Costly Clash at Turn 1

The drama unfolded when Sainz and Lawson tangled at the iconic Tarzan corner, a moment that sent both cars limping back to the pits with damaged tyres. The stewards pinned the blame on Sainz, deeming him responsible for causing the collision, which dropped him to a disappointing 13th-place finish.

Over team radio, upon being informed of the sanction, Sainz’s reaction was immediate and raw: “It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my life.”

The Spaniard’s anger only grew as he faced the media, where he detailed the incident and the stewards’ ill-advised call.

Sainz argued that Turn 1 at Zandvoort is a corner that allows for close racing without incident, citing numerous examples of drivers going side by side without contact.

“It is quite clear how many examples we've seen in Turn 1 of two cars racing side by side without contact,” he said.

“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.”

"A complete joke"

The penalty itself, however, was what pushed Sainz over the edge.

“But on top of that to get a 10 second penalty for it, I think it's a complete joke,” he declared, his voice laced with disbelief.

Sainz clarified that he wasn’t even attempting an overtake, merely positioning himself for a later move.

“I wasn't even really trying to race Liam that hard,” he explained. “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.”

Questioning the Stewards’ Judgment

As a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), Sainz didn’t just take issue with the penalty – he called into question the broader competency of the FIA’s stewarding process.

“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, signaling his intent to confront the panel directly.

“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 GPDA director, and something that I will make sure of.”

• Read also: ‘Angry’ Albon lashes out at Williams team after Dutch GP Q3 miss

Sainz’s measured tone belied his deep concern for the sport’s officiating standards.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Reflecting on the season, Sainz lamented the missed opportunity for a strong points haul, noting that teammate Alex Albon’s fifth-place finish showed what was possible.

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

He also hinted at adapting his approach to Lawson in future races, noting the rookie’s “crash or no overtake” mentality.

“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.”

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