Williams launch appeal over Carlos Sainz’s Dutch GP F1 penalty

Williams have launched a right of review to the FIA after Carlos Sainz was handed a controversial penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Sainz was handed a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points for a clash with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson.

While Sainz appeared blameless about the incident, he was given the penalty.

After the race, Sainz said the penalty was a “complete joke” and questioned the level of stewarding in F1.

As the penalty has been served, it cannot be removed.

However, Williams can push for Sainz’s penalty points to be rescinded.

Williams released the following statement on Thursday evening: “We can confirm we have submitted a right of review to the FIA relating to Carlos’ penalty in Zandvoort. It is important for us to understand how to go racing in future, and we are hopeful of a positive outcome.”

Speaking in the pre-race FIA press conference at Monza, Sainz confirmed that he spoke to the stewards at Zandvoort.

He suggested that the stewards acknowledged they made the wrong decision in giving Sainz a penalty.

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“I did get the chance to go and speak to them after the race. There was a misunderstanding when I was in the TV pen,” Sainz explained.

“I thought I wasn’t going to be able to go but in the end I had the opportunity to go and sit with them for 15 minutes to analyse the incident. It was very clear to me that as soon as they got all the evidence right and they looked at the places they would have needed to look at to take the right decision it was very clear to me that I think they realised that this decision wasn’t the best one.

“Now we’re trying to see if we can come up with enough evidence and stuff to realise if we can change the outcome of the penalty as I still firmly believe it was a very poor penalty that I received.

“A bad judgement which can happen and you have the capacity to revisit it, and if there’s been a misunderstanding or a lack of evidence or a lack of analysis then there’s still time to re-analyse it, re-open it and change it.”

Sainz does have sympathy for the stewards, given it was a hectic race.

There were three Safety Cars, and numerous drivers picked up penalties.

Kimi Antonelli received two penalties (15 seconds in total).

At the same time, after the race, Lewis Hamilton was handed a five-place grid penalty for an incident that occurred before the formation lap even began.

“I do believe they had a very difficult Sunday looking back at it. A very busy afternoon and it was overwhelming due to the amount of stuff that happened in the race or not. I still definitely, firmly believe what I thought after the race.” Sainz added.

“Obviously now in a much, cool-headed state but I still firmly believe what happened and the penalty was not acceptable and I made it very clear.”

Lawson’s view

Lawson didn’t appear to have too much sympathy for Carlos Sainz.

The RB feels that the stewards applied the racing rules.

He admitted he doesn’t “really understand” Sainz’s vocal complaints.

“He’s the car going for the overtake, I ran him outside and he didn’t get his axle where he needed to get it and somehow I’m deemed as being aggressive,” Lawson said as quoted by The Race.

“So I don’t really understand it. But it ruined my race. We were in a position to potentially have two cars in the top five. But I didn’t go on the radio and [complain to] everybody about it or to the media. So yeah, it’s his approach after that race.

“I don’t know why he was so upset, honestly. If I was overtaking him, I would understand that he’s more frustrated, but he was the car overtaking and he got a penalty for it.”