Carlos Sainz was hit with a uncommon penalty following the 2026 British Grand Prix after the Williams System 1 driver incorrectly unlapped himself below a late security automobile.
A lap 46 crash from Max Verstappen at Stowe induced Sunday’s Silverstone race to be run below security automobile circumstances for its last six excursions, with Charles Leclerc profitable for Ferrari.
However his former team-mate endured a way more tough time of it, as Williams man Sainz crossed the road in twelfth but dropped to seventeenth and a lap again hours later following his penalty.
It got here after, as per the rules, lapped vehicles have been allowed to overhaul the security automobile on the penultimate tour and rejoin the pack with Sainz being considered one of a number of drivers to take action.
But Williams did not recognise that the Spaniard was not included within the ‘lapped vehicles’ message, that means he ought to have remained the place he was.
It’s understood that, because of this, Sainz has turn into the primary F1 driver to be penalised with a lap being added to his last classification.
An FIA report learn: “The stewards heard from the staff consultant and reviewed positioning/marshalling system information, video, timing and in-car video proof.
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photographs through Getty Photographs
“Though automobile 55 was lapped at security automobile line one when coming into the pitlane, because of the particular observe and pit lane configuration at Silverstone, it had quickly unlapped itself by the point it crossed the road on the finish of the lap, throughout which it crossed security automobile line two for the second time after the security automobile was deployed.
“Consequently, automobile 55 was not a lapped automobile for the needs of Article B5.13.4 c) and was due to this fact not entitled to overhaul the security automobile when the ‘lapped vehicles could now overtake’ message was displayed.
“Nevertheless, automobile 55 unlapped itself as soon as the message was displayed by race management. The stewards famous that, after finishing its pit cease, automobile 55 as soon as once more was a lapped automobile when it re-joined the observe.
“Given the distinctive observe format at this occasion, the stewards perceive how the sequence of occasions could have contributed to the staff’s confusion.
“The staff consultant acknowledged that the staff however made two errors: firstly, by failing to recognise that automobile 55 was not a lapped automobile on the related reference level below Article B5.13.4 c).
“Secondly, by failing to notice that automobile 55 was not included within the race management message figuring out the vehicles permitted to overhaul the security automobile. The staff consultant accepted that they inadvertently gained a lap once they weren’t entitled to take action.”
Sainz was the one Williams driver to cross the end line after team-mate Alex Albon retired on lap 43 as a consequence of injury from his opening lap collision with Oliver Bearman.
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