Sainz in the COTA paddock - Photo: Race Pictures

Sainz learns fate from stewards after crash with Antonelli in US GP

01:08, 20 Oct

Updated: 01:52, 20 Oct

byTobia Elia

The stewards have decided to hand Carlos Sainz a penalty for his collision with Kimi Antonelli during the United States Grand Prix.

The Spaniard will serve a five-place grid penalty at next weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, along with two penalty points added to his Super Licence.

Sainz, in an attempt to overtake the Mercedes driver at Turn 15 in the early stages of the race, clipped his rear-left tyre with the front wing, sending him into a spin and ruining his race, while Sainz himself was forced to retire.

“Car 55 attempted an inside overtake on Car 12 at Turn 15 and a collision between the two cars occurred at the apex,” the FIA document reads.

“The driver of Car 55 maintained that he had expected the driver of Car 12 to leave him space at the apex but Car 12 turned in early and Car 55 locked brakes when it became clear that a collision was unavoidable.

Carlos Sainz - Photo: Race Pictures

“He suggested that the driver of Car 12 ought to have anticipated an overtake attempt by Car 55 and left space to avoid contact. However, at no point prior to the apex was the front axle of Car 55 alongside or ahead of the mirror of Car 12.

Therefore, according to the Driving Standards Guidelines, Car 55 had not earned a right to be left space at the apex.”

This was the final verdict: “The Stewards therefore determine that the driver of Car 55 was predominantly to blame for the collision and a penalty is applied accordingly. As the driver to be penalised did not finish the race, a grid penalty equalling a 10-second time penalty is imposed.”

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