P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Ferrari driver was slapped with a 10-place grid drop in Las Vegas for taking a third Energy Store of the season after his car was destroyed.
Derek Warwick, the steward at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, admitted that giving Carlos Sainz a 10-place grid penalty felt wrong, but he had no power to intervene. Sainz’s car was severely damaged during Free Practice 1 after hitting a loose water valve cover, leading to the need for a third Energy Store of the season, triggering the penalty. Ferrari requested for the penalty to be waived due to force majeure, but there was no mechanism in the Sporting Regulations to forgive it. Consequently, Sainz started 12th, even though he had qualified second, and finished sixth after a first lap spin. Warwick acknowledged the difficulty and impartiality required of stewards, stating that they must adhere to the rules, even when it hurts them.
