Sainz hit with five-place grid penalty for Azerbaijan GP after yellow flag breach in Qualifying

Carlos Sainz has been given a five-place grid penalty for Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the stewards found him guilty of failing to slow for yellow flags in Qualifying.

Sainz had taken his heavily upgraded Williams to the final Q3 phase and ninth on the grid at the Baku City Circuit, only to be noted for a potential rule breach.

After hearing from Sainz and a Williams team representative, and reviewing the range of data available to them, the stewards ultimately deemed that the Spaniard had broken the rules.

Sainz was subsequently given a five-place grid drop, meaning he falls from P9 to P14 – promoting Franco Colapinto, Ollie Bearman, Liam Lawson, team mate Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon.

“Single yellow flags were displayed in Marshalling Sectors 4 and 5, in particular after Turn 2 and on the approach to Turn 3,” read the stewards’ decision document, with Lando Norris going off track ahead of Sainz during Q3. “The yellow indications were clearly visible and SAI had also received a radio warning from the team: ‘Yellow ahead, lift’. SAI confirmed at the hearing that he was aware of the yellow flag situation.

“SAI explained that he intended to demonstrate a reduction in speed across the yellow area as a whole. He stated that he did not consider it necessary to reduce speed on the straight and instead intended to demonstrate his response when approaching and exiting Turn 3. He considered this to be a ‘global lift’ covering the consecutive yellow sectors.

“He further explained that the car which had originally caused the yellow was no longer in the run-off area and that he expected the yellow flags to be withdrawn.

“The stewards did not accept this interpretation. Where consecutive marshalling sectors are subject to yellow flag conditions, a driver must demonstrate a significant reaction to reduce speed in each individual yellow marshalling sector. A reduction in a subsequent sector cannot retrospectively satisfy the requirement applicable to the preceding yellow sector.

“The obligation is also not dependent on the driver’s own assessment of whether the original hazard remains present within a particular part of the yellow sector.

“The telemetry clearly showed that SAI’s reaction to the yellow occurred only in Marshalling Sector 5. There was no meaningful reduction in speed in Marshalling Sector 4, which could realistically be attributed to a response to the yellow. Indeed, SAI recorded his fastest time of the session in Marshalling Sector 4.

“The stewards therefore did not accept that the subsequent lift in Marshalling Sector 5 constituted a sufficient ‘global’ response covering both sectors. This is distinguishable from cases where the telemetry demonstrates a significant response to the yellow even though the overall sector time reduction is relatively small.

“In the present case, SAI was aware of the yellow, had received an explicit warning from the team, the yellow indications were clearly visible and the telemetry established that he did not demonstrate the required reaction in Marshalling Sector 4.

“The stewards therefore determine that SAI failed to sufficiently reduce speed under the single yellow flag in Marshalling Sector 4. The standard penalty under the Penalty Guidelines for this infringement during Qualifying is a drop of five grid positions.”

Sainz was also handed two penalty points, giving him a total of four for the 12-month period – as set out in F1’s penalty regulations.