Sainz penalised for Piastri clash

Carlos Sainz has been demoted from fourth to fifth after being penalised for causing a collision with Oscar Piastri, which ruined the Australian’s Miami Grand Prix.

Sainz and Piastri wrestled wheel to wheel for fourth in one of the more exciting fights of a memorable race around the Hard Rock Stadium.

The McLaren emerged with track position following the Safety Car, but the Ferrari went on the attack.

Sainz first launched an attack around the outside of the heavy-braking Turn 11, but Piastri hung tough, forcing the Ferrari wide in a fair move.

However, Sainz was not of the same opinion and vented his frustration over the radio believing the Aussie should have been penalised, but the stewards thought otherwise.

This meant that when Sainz made a successful dive down the inside of Turn 17, he gave Piastri a whack with his rear right tyre on the way through.

The result was a significantly damaged front wing for Piastri, who was forced to pit and drop out of contention, eventually finishing 13th.

Piastri did not comment on the incident claiming he had not seen it back, but did note ‘we weren’t particularly close to the apex.’

Although Sainz he ‘had to be aggressive’ after Piastri ‘pushed us off’ the stewards determined the Spaniard caused a collision when passing the Australian at Turn 17.

He received a 5s penalty, dropping him from fourth to fifth behind Sergio Perez, plus a penalty point.

“It was clear to us that Car 55 was to blame for the collision,” read the stewards report.

“In the overtake attempt, Car 55 braked late, missed the apex and in the process lost the rear, with the resulting collision. Although Car 81 was trying to turn in to counter the overtaking attempt, Car 81 gave sufficient room to Car 55.

“In the circumstances, we find Car 55 to be predominantly to blame for the collision.

“The fact that but for the slight loss of control of the rear by Car 55, the collision would likely not have happened and it would have been hard but good racing.

“The standard penalty for a collision is 10 seconds with 2 penalty points. In light of the mitigating circumstances, we therefore impose a 5-second time penalty with 1 penalty point.”

Sainz said the incident was a result of his assumption the stewards ‘were not very aggressive.’

“Today everyone was racing very hard out there, but I was frustrated with Oscar because he clearly pushed us off track and cost us time with Charles and Max in front,” he told Sky Sports F1.

“I saw the stewards were not very aggressive today with penalties and I had to be aggressive too and sent it to finish P4.

“We (Sainz and Piastri) had contact twice. Once because of his late braking pushing me off the track and me with my late braking running a bit out of line, locking the rear tyres and losing the rear.

“Don’t know how much damage I had but hopefully I didn’t have too much.”

Photo by Sam Bloxham / LAT Images

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