The stewards have penalised Carlos Sainz Jnr three places on the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix for impeding Lewis Hamilton during the session.
The Williams driver failed to move off the racing line after completing his final lap in Q2. Hamilton, who was beginning a lap, caught him in the first corner and had to back off.Sainz said his team failed to warn him that Hamilton was closing. However the stewards ruled the team should have made the driver aware of Hamilton’s situation and had the opportunity to alert their driver.
“The driver of car 55 [Sainz] stated that he did not have any warning from the team, of the approach of car 44 [Hamilton] on a push lap. He stated that he was caught completely by surprise and because of the approach speed of car 44, and the angle of his car, he could not see Car 44 in his mirrors.
“However notwithstanding the above, the team had ample warning that car 44 was on an out-lap whilst car 55 was on its push lap. Also, more than eight seconds elapsed from when it was obvious car 44 was not going into the pits, and hence was going to start a push lap, and when car 55 could have taken appropriate action if the driver had been warned by the team.”
The stewards pointed out penalties for impeding are issued irrespective of whether the driver or team was at fault.
“It is noted that the standard penalty guideline for this offence during qualifying, irrespective of whether it was the fault of the driver or the team, is a three grid position penalty, and therefore the stewards find that the standard penalty should be applied,” they ruled.
Hamilton complained on his radio that he was held up by a Williams, though he misidentified Sainz as his team mate Alexander Albon.
- Updated 2025 Japanese Grand Prix grid
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2025 Japanese Grand Prix
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Jere (@jerejj)
5th April 2025, 10:04
A normal approach, although Hamilton also shares responsibility for even starting another flying lap in the first place despite already being safe, so zero reason to continue on track & for that matter, the same with Leclerc.
Had he entered the pit lane, this whole situation would’ve been avoided, just like Piastri would’ve avoided a three-place grid penalty in Imola last season had he stayed in the pit lane when he was already safe for progression.
I always fail to see much logic for top team drivers returning or staying on track when they’re already safe for Q2 or Q3 progression.
Doug
5th April 2025, 10:21
Hamilton / Leclerc were well within their right to start another flying lap, regardless of lap time. There could be a number of reasons why they want to put in another lap. Not Sainz’s fault though. Engineers need to be more aware of what is happening around their drivers.
rprp
5th April 2025, 13:08
Hamilton had every right to have another go. Whatever the reason he took another lap, Sainz and Williams have full responsibility to get out of the way.
sam
5th April 2025, 17:04
Taking another lap is the entire point of Qualifying.
André
5th April 2025, 18:49
Your commitment to diminishing Hamilton at every opportunity, regardless how absurd and disingenuous your comments may be, is incredible.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
5th April 2025, 22:20
Jere is absolutely not pro-hamilton, he’s neutral, he’s made comments in hamilton’s favour and against hamilton before.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
5th April 2025, 22:22
Sorry, I meant not anti-hamilton*
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
5th April 2025, 22:29
I also find it unreasonable for teams to go out again when they’re safe, obviously there are exceptional cases where there’s a lot of track evolution and top teams have to do another lap in q1, but normally they do that unnecessarily.
RH
5th April 2025, 10:42
Sainz is basically looking very bad for his reputation. Maybe Red Bull knew something. Albon shouldn’t be this far ahead but let’s see as the season evolves.
OOliver
5th April 2025, 14:22
I don’t believe Ferrari or Hamilton complained this was just a regular stewarding issue
rprp
5th April 2025, 16:21
Why does it need Hamilton or Ferrari to complain? Sainz was unsafe.
BasCB (@bascb)
5th April 2025, 19:19
Hamilton complained on the radio immediately (he thought it was Albon though)
Mohammad Reza (@reza-pratama24)
5th April 2025, 15:13
Sick of the commentators like that dude Croft defending this out of depth Sainz to the death… It’s a slam dunk penalty yet he manages to bash Hamilton why he put another lap whilst safe from elimination.. Heck, he’s within his right to take another lap… Absolutely delirious…
Doggy
5th April 2025, 19:43
Crofty it’s useless. I question all the time how he got and keeps his job.
I wish there was a function to mute certain commentators. I’ll use it when Crofty and Ted Kravitz speak.
cbaz
5th April 2025, 16:50
Saniz didn’t know he was there? He should have. Hamilton got out of this way at the end of the lap so Sainz should have realised he might be coming past him again. Sorry, no excuse for Sainz.
MikePrice
5th April 2025, 16:58
I know what went wrong. When Williams swapped the chassis they forgot to swap the driver.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
5th April 2025, 22:16
Ahah, damn, that’s harsh towards sainz, even though I expected he’d be more on pace with albon, if not faster.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
5th April 2025, 22:15
This is a half-joking comment, but just thinking about this situation: sainz was doing well at ferrari, got replaced by hamilton, so I completely understand him trying to ruin hamilton’s qualifying ofc!