In a move to contest a controversial penalty, the Williams Formula 1 team has formally submitted a right of review to the FIA, urging stewards to re-examine an incident involving their driver Carlos Sainz and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson during last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
The collision, which occurred at Turn 1 following the withdrawal of an early safety car, resulted in punctures for both drivers and a 10-second penalty for Sainz, a decision that sparked a heated debate within the F1 community.
The stewards ruled that Lawson had the right to the corner, citing that Sainz’s front axle was not sufficiently alongside Lawson’s car to justify his move. The resulting penalty left Sainz fuming and Williams determined to seek clarity.
"We can confirm we have submitted a right of review to the FIA relating to Carlos’ penalty in Zandvoort," read a Williams statement. "It is important for us to understand how to go racing in future, and we are hopeful of a positive outcome."
The team must now prove it has new and significant evidence for the case to move forward.
Sainz: “Clear the decision wasn’t the best one”
Sainz revealed that he met with the stewards after the race to review the incident and came away convinced that the penalty was wrongly applied.
"Yeah, I did get the chance to go and speak to them after the race. I had the opportunity to go and sit with them for 15 minutes to analyse the incident,” he explained.
"And it was very clear to me that as soon as they got all the evidence, and they look at the places that they would have needed to look at to take the right decision, it was very clear to me that I think they realised that probably a decision taken wasn't the best one."
Sainz stressed that the fight is now about gathering enough proof to convince officials to overturn the outcome.
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"Now we are trying to see if we can come up with enough evidence and enough stuff to realise if we can change the outcome of the penalty, because I still firmly believe it was a very poor penalty that I received and a bad judgment, which can happen as long as you have the capacity to revisit it,” he added.
"And if there's been a misunderstanding or a lack of evidence or a lack of analysis, then there is still time to reanalyse it, to reopen it, and change it."
What Happens Next
The FIA will first decide whether Williams’ petition meets the criteria for a right of review. If deemed admissible, the stewards will reassess the case with any new material provided.
For Williams and Sainz, the stakes are clear: clarity on racing standards and the chance to erase a penalty they both believe should never have been applied.
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