The Ferrari driver crashed during qualifying and was fined for walking on the track.
Carlos Sainz has been fined €25,000 after walking across the Formula 1 track following his crash during Singapore Grand Prix qualifying, with half of the fine suspended.
The Ferrari driver crashed into the barriers at the final corner of the Marina Bay Circuit with just over eight minutes remaining in the session. Sainz, who emerged unscathed from the crash, exited his car and walked along the track to reach the pit lane entry after the session was red-flagged.
Following an investigation by FIA stewards, the Spanish driver was handed a €25,000 fine, with €12,500 of it suspended for the rest of the season, provided a similar incident does not occur.
Speaking about the incident, Sainz admitted it was his fault: “I made a bit of a strange exit there. At the start of my lap, I had to overtake many cars, and I realized my tires were much colder than I expected. Going over the bump at Turn 17, I misjudged the grip and completely lost control of the car. Driver error.”
“I underestimated the grip I would have at the start of the lap, and with another car coming, I was already under pressure. I knew I would be slower at the start of the lap because I approached the final corner too slowly, which meant I was trying to do something without enough grip.”
This incident was similar to the one last year at the Qatar Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton was fined €50,000 and received a reprimand.
At the start of the Losail race, Hamilton collided with George Russell at Turn 1, breaking his right rear wheel, which ended his race. While the race was under the safety car, Hamilton crossed the track towards the pit lane from the outside of Turn 1 just seconds before Russell exited the pit.
FIA officials explained that Sainz’s fine was half the amount of Hamilton’s from last year because the Spanish driver’s violation occurred during a red flag, whereas the British driver’s happened during a safety car period. Sainz also argued that he was beyond the pit entry, which was accepted as a mitigating circumstance.
However, a week after the race, the FIA reopened its investigation, believing the incident was more serious than initially thought. There was a concern that penalties for drivers crossing a live track should be much harsher, as the FIA felt it sent the wrong message to younger drivers.
The FIA stewards clarified that Sainz’s penalty was half of Hamilton’s because the offense happened during a red flag, while Hamilton’s occurred under a safety car during a race. Sainz’s claim that he was beyond the pit entry was also considered a mitigating factor.
