Carlos Sainz learns fate for incident that incurred Max Verstappen’s wrath at F1 Belgian GP

Carlos Sainz has been cleared following an investigation into allegedly failing to slow under double-waved yellow flags during final practice at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix. 

The incident happened in the closing moments of FP3 shortly after Lewis Hamilton crashed at Turn 13, causing significant damage to his Ferrari and leaving the team in a race against the clock to fix the car in time for qualifying. 

Sainz came up fast behind Max Verstappen who was slowing for the double-waved yellow flags at the scene of Hamilton’s accident. 

The Williams driver locked up in his attempts to slow down behind Verstappen but his actions did not impress the four-time world champion. 

“What the ****?!” Verstappen complained over team radio. “My god! It’s, like, double yellows and this car, it like, almost crashes in the back of me. Unbelievable.” 

Sainz, meanwhile, reported to his team: “The car in front braked quite sudden.” 

The stewards also summoned Verstappen so he can give his view on the moment. 

After reviewing the incident with both drivers, the stewards ultimately decided to take no further action. 

"During the session Car 44 collided with the barrier at the exit of turn 13 triggering a double yellow sector from the approach to turn 12 to turn 14. Car 55 and Car 3 had both passed through this double yellow sector on the previous lap," the stewards explained. 

"Car 55 was behind Car 3 on the approach to the double yellow zone. Both cars commenced braking prior to the start of the zone but the driver of Car 3 applied more brake pressure than the driver of Car 55 had expected and as a consequence the driver of Car 55 had to take evasive action and move to the right of Car 3, locking brakes but not overtaking. Both drivers stated they were surprised, the driver of Car 3 by Car 55 closing so quickly after Car 3 had commenced braking before the zone, and the driver of Car 55 by Car 3 braking more heavily than he had anticipated.

"The relevant rules require a driver to reduce speed significantly when passing through a double waved yellow marshalling sector. Compliance with the rules does not expressly require that a significant speed reduction occur before the sector but in this case both drivers had commenced to do so, both braking approximately 80m before the start of the sector. By the time Car 55 entered the double yellow sector, it had reduced speed significantly and maintained a significantly reduced speed throughout the sector. 

"The Stewards were therefore satisfied that the driver of Car 55 committed no infringement, the locking of brakes was attributable to a misunderstanding of relative braking and determined to take no further action."

It is the second time this weekend that Sainz has got caught up in a near-miss with another driver. 

During Friday’s opening practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, Sainz had a close call with Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Blanchemont. 

Antonelli branded Sainz “an idiot” over team radio, an insult which left Sainz unimpressed. 

"I think he felt like I impeded him - I don't feel like I did,” Sainz said. 

"I guess nowadays with the SM [Straight Mode], if you don't get out of the way exactly like [the other driver wants]- you cannot turn because you have no downforce with the wings open.

"Maybe he felt like I could have got out of the way in a better way.  But I don't think he should call me an idiot either, on the radio, I think that's forbidden, to swear and insult a rival - so I think he should calm down a bit.”