Williams’ best grand prix qualifying result of the season so far is under threat as the stewards have summoned Carlos Sainz Jnr over an incident.
Sainz is being investigated for failing to slow for yellow flags during qualifying. He passed yellow flags when Lando Norris went off ahead of him during Q3, though Norris’s car drove away before Sainz reached the scene of the incident.He has already been reprimanded today for the same infringement. The stewards found he failed to respond correctly to yellow flags during final practice.
Stewards’ verdict on Sainz’s final practice infringement
The stewards did not issue a grid drop to Sainz over his infringement in practice after taking into account how briefly the yellow flag was displayed for.
“A single yellow was displayed in marshalling sector six shortly before [Sainz] entered the sector,” the stewards ruled. “Sainz explained that, approaching turn four, he briefly noticed a light signal in his peripheral vision but was not certain that it was yellow. He therefore asked the team by radio whether a yellow flag was being displayed.
“The onboard video also showed that a yellow warning light was flashing on Sainz’s steering wheel, indicating the yellow sector. Sainz explained that in the circumstances he had not been able to pay attention to this warning.
“Approaching turn four, Sainz braked slightly earlier than on the reference lap, but subsequently applied less brake pressure. At the exit of turn four he accelerated more moderately than on the reference lap. Overall, he lost approximately 0.10 seconds in the relevant sector.
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“From the exit of turn four Sainz was able to see the green light marking the end of the yellow sector. Sainz acknowledged that, having seen the green light, he should have understood that he was still travelling within a yellow sector. Nevertheless, on the straight approaching the green light he accelerated up to the limiter while still within the yellow sector.
“The stewards considered the fact that the single yellow was displayed only shortly before Sainz entered marshalling sector six as a mitigating circumstance. However, taking into account the visible yellow indication, the warning displayed on the steering wheel, the telemetry and, in particular, Sainz’s acceleration while still within the yellow sector after the green light had become visible, the stewards were not satisfied that Sainz had sufficiently reduced speed and exercised the required caution for a single yellow.
“The stewards therefore determine that Sainz failed to sufficiently reduce speed under the single yellow.
“The standard penalty under the Penalty Guidelines for such an infringement is a drop of five grid positions. However, the stewards considered that there were mitigating circumstances, in particular the very short period between the single yellow being displayed and Sainz entering the relevant marshalling sector. The stewards also considered the penalties applied in comparable cases, where a driving reprimand has consistently been imposed in circumstances warranting mitigation from the standard penalty. The stewards therefore considered a driving reprimand appropriate and consistent with those precedents.”
This article will be updated
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