FIA Delivers Verdict After Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez Clash at Baku
The FIA has finally announced its verdict regarding the recent incident involving Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez during practice sessions at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. This event stirred quite a bit of drama, and many F1 fans were eagerly awaiting the decision.
It all unfolded in Friday’s Free Practice 2 (FP2) when Sainz was summoned to the stewards for allegedly impeding Perez during a high-speed section of the track, specifically at Turn 13. This moment raised concerns, as impeding can often lead to significant penalties if deemed dangerous. The FIA, in its statement, pointed out that while impeding during free practice is usually not investigated, this particular situation was potentially risky. Perez had to swerve to the right, which, at such high speeds, could have resulted in a hazardous situation.
Sainz, however, explained that he was momentarily distracted by several alarms going off in his car and, despite being aware of Perez behind him, misjudged the Red Bull’s speed. The stewards acknowledged that Sainz did attempt to avoid Perez, but it was too late by then, forcing Perez to lift off the throttle. Fortunately, the incident didn’t escalate further, as Perez had good visibility throughout, and the FIA deemed that it wasn’t particularly dangerous.
Also Read:As a result, instead of receiving a severe penalty that could have impacted Ferrari’s weekend, Carlos Sainz was handed a warning. This decision ensures that Sainz remains unaffected by a grid penalty, allowing him to continue competing at a high level during the race weekend.
This verdict came as a relief to Ferrari fans, especially given that the team was showing competitive pace in Baku. Sainz had finished fourth in FP2, with his teammate, Charles Leclerc, rebounding impressively to set the fastest time in that session after crashing earlier in FP1. Ferrari seemed poised to make a strong bid in the constructors' title, which added even more importance to Sainz avoiding a penalty.
Looking back at the FIA’s ruling, it appears that they took a balanced approach, recognizing that while the incident could have been dangerous, it didn’t warrant a full penalty due to the mitigating factors and how both drivers handled the situation. Sainz's admission of distraction from his car’s alarms played a significant role in the FIA’s decision to go with a warning.
For fans of Ferrari and Sainz, this decision means all eyes can remain focused on the action on the track, especially with Ferrari hoping to make a late-season surge in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. Meanwhile, for Perez, this incident was another close call in what has been an intense season of on-track battles.
In summary, while the tussle between Sainz and Perez certainly added to the drama of the Azerbaijan GP weekend, the FIA’s final decision to issue a warning rather than a penalty ensures that the racing remains the focus moving forward.
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