Sainz and Kvyat avoid penalties for clash

2015 Spanish Grand Prix

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Carlos Sainz Jnr and Daniil Kvyat have avoided penalties for their last-lap incident in the Spanish Grand Prix and kept their original finishing positions of ninth and tenth respectively.

Following an investigation the stewards ruled Kvyat “changed direction three times on the main straight then under braking, touched [Sainz]”, after which Sainz left the track and re-joined in front of Kvyat.

The stewards accepted the views of both drivers that Kvyat’s first two deviations from the racing line “were not defensive”, which video evidence supported. They also determined the contact between the pair was a “racing incident”.

Sainz was also cleared for gaining an advantage when he rejoined the track. “The stewards consider that Car 55 [Sainz] was in front at the time it entered the corner and accept the evidence of the driver that he slowed in re-joining the track at turn two and gave room at turn three for Car 26 [Kvyat], in order to avoid gaining a lasting advantage,” they noted.

“The driver of Car 26 also admitted that he slowed at turn two and gave room for Car 55 to re-join the track.”

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    11 comments on “Sainz and Kvyat avoid penalties for clash”

    1. Good and just decision. To be honest, the entire Sky Team had me wondering what they were talking about, as they unanimously demanded that Sainz be punished.
      According to the Stewards’ decision, even Kvyat disagreed, purportedly backing off the throttle at the exit of turn 2 to allow Sainz to rejoin in front of him.
      Anyway, glad to have justifiable decisions from time to time.

      1. 100% agree with @nase. Glad the Steward asked them in to talk–just to keep the kids honest. But agree that the Steward’s decision was just–and the kids can continue to race!

    2. I guess the Spanish still have some “pesetas”. Sainz should have gotten a 5 sec penalty. I think Sainz ought to have done the move properly, he could have achieved it. I don’t care if Kvyat thought there was no point in making it on the track, it’s just that both invented a new track.

      1. Kyvat was weaving like a cheap hairdo. Sainz was basically rammed off the road, so for me didn’t need to give the place back.

        1. No he wasn’t. He was about a wheel ahead into the corner, so he was perfectly aware of Kvyat’s position on the track, yet he started turning in and their wheels touched, after which he just decided to go straight across. I disagree with the ruling because being slightly ahead into a corner does not guarantee you being still the one ahead on its exit. This is the most cringing moment in this ruling for me.

          It also reminded me of Verstappen’s bombdiving overtakes in China (or was it Malaysia?), which many hailed as great. They only didn’t end in the same way because the drivers he was overtaking were mature enough no to turn in on him, with him hanging them to dry on the outside. So why wasn’t Kvyat, being on the inside, entitled to some room for maneuvre? The difference here is that instead of breaking and making the corner Sainz decided to just cut it and gain an advantage.

          I can see his reasons for doing so, especially in the heat of the moment, but it does not change the fact that: A) The collision could have been avoided altogether B) He did gain an advamtage by cutting the corner.

          1. I think we’ll end up agreeing to disagree. Kyvat was also aware of Sainz’s position, and moved left (away from the apex), which causes the contact with Sainz. Sainz couldn’t make the corner as a result.

      2. Sainz should have gotten a 5 sec penalty.

        Ehm …? The incident was Kvyat’s fault …

    3. So…..no points for VES :(

      But fair ruling.

    4. As Brundle likes to say, even if you didn’t gain something, you didn’t lose something either. Leaving the track in a battle and holding a position is just as wrong as gaining one IMO. Bad ruling.

      1. yeah, right… Sainz should’ve kept turning after they touched wheels and go on achieving a big accident involving both cars. Imo he acted like any responsible racing driver should, bail out of the turn if there is a run-off area and rejoin safely, more than that Kvyat accepted he was at fault for the incident and let him rejoin in front. Better to avoid the accident, get the points and sort it out with the stewards rather than total both cars, lose the points and get a big penalty the next race.

        1. My point being that he went off track then came back on ahead. Even if he was marginally ahead, he used an area that was not considered part of the racing surface. It’s unsporting.

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