Carlos Sainz has lashed out at rival F1 teams, suggesting they were “pushing for me to get a penalty” at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Ferrari requested to replace Sainz’s power unit components without penalty due to damage caused by a loose manhole cover, but the request was denied by the FIA. As a result, Sainz received a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his energy store allocation. Sainz qualified second but will now start 12th on the grid. He expressed his frustration, insinuating that pressure from rival teams influenced the decision. Sainz believed that the incident was a safety issue and criticized the sport’s handling of the situation. Max Verstappen of Red Bull called for changes to the rules, stating that teams should not have a say in penalty decisions.
