BREAKING: F1 Team Launche FIA Protest Over Dutch GP Penalty ahead of… Read more
BREAKING: F1 Team Launche FIA Protest Over Dutch GP Penalty ahead of… R
Williams have confirmed they have officially lodged a protest with the FIA over the penalty handed to Carlos Sainz during last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, with the case now set to hang over the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The incident in question occurred during the safety car restart that followed Lewis Hamilton’s crash. As the pack charged down into Turn 1, Sainz found himself locked in battle with the Racing Bulls car of Liam Lawson. Contact between Lawson’s rear-left tyre and Sainz’s front-right punctured both cars, sending them tumbling down the order and out of contention.
Over team radio, Sainz was quick to voice his frustration, blaming Lawson. “He’s just so stupid. Oh my God, it’s always the same guy,” he fumed in the heat of the moment. However, the stewards saw the clash differently, ruling that Lawson had the right to the corner and that Sainz was wholly at fault. The Spaniard was given a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points on his super licence, bringing his tally to four.
The ruling immediately sparked controversy, with many questioning whether the call had been too harsh. Sainz himself was incredulous when informed of the punishment. “Who?! Who gets a penalty? Me?! Are you joking? You’re joking. I mean, it’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my life,” he exclaimed. He demanded that Ferrari speak with the stewards after the race to contest the decision.
When he did meet them post-race, the Ferrari driver left even more convinced that the penalty had been wrongly applied. Speaking at Thursday’s press conference in Monza, Sainz explained: “It was very clear to me that as soon as they got all the evidence right and they looked at the places they needed to take the right decision, it was clear to me that I think they realised probably the decision taken wasn’t the best one. Now we are trying to see if we can come up with enough evidence to change the outcome of the penalty, because I still firmly believe it was a very poor penalty I received and a bad judgment.”
Sainz added that he understood how the stewards may have been overwhelmed by the chaotic events at Zandvoort, which included multiple incidents and penalties in quick succession. “They had a very busy afternoon, and maybe it was overwhelming because of the amount of stuff that happened in the race. But I still firmly believe what I thought after the race. Now in a cooler-headed state, I still believe the penalty was not acceptable, and I made it very clear.”
Williams have since moved to escalate the matter. Late on Thursday afternoon, team principal James Vowles confirmed the team had submitted a petition for a right of review. Under the FIA’s International Sporting Code, competitors have 96 hours from the end of a race to file such a request, and Williams met that deadline.
In a statement, the Grove-based team explained: “We can confirm we have submitted a right of review to the FIA relating to Carlos’ penalty in Zandvoort. It is important for us to understand how to go racing in future, and we are hopeful of a positive outcome.”
For Williams, the issue is not simply about Sainz’s punishment, but also about establishing greater clarity over how incidents are judged and penalised. To move the process forward, however, they will need to provide new and significant evidence that was not available to the stewards at the time of their original decision.
The case now rests with the FIA, who will determine whether Williams have presented sufficient grounds to reopen the investigation. If they do, the controversy over the Dutch Grand Prix could spill over into Monza, overshadowing the start of Formula 1’s most iconic weekend.
At stake is not only the fate of Sainz’s penalty, but also a broader question of consistency and transparency in stewarding decisions—a debate that continues to divide the paddock in 2025.
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