Carlos Sainz Jnr says Formula 1 must apply its rules consistently when drivers force rivals off the track, as stewards consider whether to investigate an incident between title contenders at the last race.
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Mercedes has asked the stewards to review their decision not to investigate whether Max Verstappen breached the rules when he and Lewis Hamilton ran wide on lap 48 of the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Sainz highlighted that similar incidents in earlier races resulted in penalties for the drivers deemed responsible. He said consistent enforcement is necessary across different circuits and for all drivers.
“I think, independently of where you’re racing, you need clarification and we need some sort of knowledge and assumptions when we go racing; if not it’s going to be very difficult to keep any kind of consistency,” the Ferrari driver said. “We saw it in Austria this year how running someone off the track was a five-second penalty and how in some other circuits it cannot be exactly the same.”
Lando Norris received a five-second time penalty at the Red Bull Ring for forcing Sergio Perez off the track. Perez was later handed similar penalties on two occasions for incidents involving Charles Leclerc.
“We need to keep improving as a sport to make it clearer for us when we go racing because especially for two guys that are playing for such high stakes they need to know what they can do and what they cannot do,” Sainz added.
Leclerc suggested incidents like the one in São Paulo would be less likely if more circuits used gravel run-off areas instead of asphalt where the cars can continue with little consequence. He referred to the specific corner where Verstappen and Hamilton went wide.
“I just wish all of that talk was over by just putting some gravel on the outside of these corners and then it’s over,” he said. “Then, of course, it’s not always the best solution for every track.
“When there’s no gravel, situations like last week happen. I’ll leave the decision to the stewards, I don’t want to get too much involved in it.”
The stewards began a hearing on whether the incident should be reviewed at 5pm local time at the Losail International Circuit, more than two hours ago.
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