Blurred Lines: Carlos Sainz Criticizes F1’s ‘Harsh’ Penalty Decisions Amid Controversial US GP

Carlos Sainz expressed concerns about the clarity of Formula 1's racing regulations, describing them as somewhat unclear following a "very harsh" penalty he received at the US Grand Prix. He mentioned that certain rules remain vague to him, citing an example from the previous day involving Oscar's overtaking maneuver.

Carlos Sainz has expressed that the regulations governing Formula 1 racing remain somewhat unclear, pointing to Oscar Piastri's penalty during the sprint race as an example of a decision he considers overly severe.

The choices made by the stewards have sparked significant discussion following the contentious incident involving Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at Turn 12.

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Norris received a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by going off the track after being forced wide by Verstappen.

During Sunday's race, the stewards took a stricter stance by issuing several penalties, one of which involved George Russell's incident with Valtteri Bottas at the same turn.

Piastri received a five-second penalty for the sprint race because officials determined he had pushed Pierre Gasly of the Alpine team off the track.

During the FIA press conference following their first and second place finishes at the Circuit of the Americas, Sainz and Charles Leclerc were questioned about the clarity of the racing regulations.

Sainz remarked, “Certain aspects are clear to me, but others remain somewhat unclear. For instance, yesterday's situation with Oscar's overtaking maneuver is a good example.”

In my opinion, what happened was perfectly acceptable and quite similar to what we've usually done in previous sprint races. I also believe that the penalty given to Oscar yesterday was excessively severe and didn't align with the guidelines as I understood them.

"Honestly, I was caught off guard by that penalty yesterday. As for today, I'm not sure what to think since I haven't analyzed the situation or reviewed the penalty details yet. We'll have to wait and see what happens."

Leclerc acknowledged that the issue is expected to be discussed in the upcoming drivers' meeting in Mexico.

He said, "I share Carlos's opinion about the penalty given to Oscar yesterday. I also felt it was somewhat excessive."

"Regarding the regulations, I believe they are straightforward. However, the way the rules are understood can vary at times, as it would be impractical to create a rule book that addresses every possible situation."

"Each situation is unique and requires its own analysis. It's important to consider the rules from different perspectives depending on the specific circumstances, which is what the FIA aims to achieve."

"Occasionally, we have differing opinions, and regarding yesterday's incident, it's likely a topic we'll discuss in the upcoming driver meeting."

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