Carlos Sainz has urged Formula 1 and the FIA to “urgently” solve its racing guidelines issues after Oscar Piastri’s “unacceptable” penalty at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Piastri was hit with a 10-second penalty as punishment for contact with Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli at Interlagos, which ultimately cost the Australian a chance of a podium.
The McLaren driver was on the inside of Antonelli and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at Turn 1 after a safety car restart and, with the Italian rookie sweeping to the apex, Piastri locked up in reaction and made contact with the Mercedes, which in turn took Leclerc out of the race.
It was a controversial penalty that many have seen as unjust, though the racing guidelines used by stewards pointed them towards handing down the punishment given Antonelli was sufficiently ahead at the apex.
Sainz unhappy with penalties
Carlos Sainz, Williams, at the 2025 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort. | Williams Racing
“I think we need urgently a catch-up and try and solve it because for me the fact that Oscar got a penalty there in Brazil is unacceptable, honestly, for the category that we are in and being the pinnacle of motorsport,” said Sainz ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Pressed as to why he felt this way, the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director replied: “I’m not going to explain why.
“I think everyone that has seen racing knows that that is not Oscar’s fault at all. Everyone else who has really raced a race car knows he could have done nothing to avoid an accident there.”
It was the latest in a long list of controversial decisions when it comes to racing incidents this season, with Williams driver Sainz on both sides of the stewards’ adjudication.
He was penalized for contact with Liam Lawson’s Racing Bull in Zandvoort and again when hitting Antonelli at the United States Grand Prix, though Haas’ Oliver Bearman was punished for contact with Sainz at Monza, with the Spaniard disagreeing with all three decisions.
Carlos Sainz was handed a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Liam Lawson at the restart
He’s not very happy about it! 😤#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/ffZRKYlzKK
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025
“It’s something that I don’t understand,” he added. “I didn’t understand my Zandvoort penalty. I didn’t understand why Ollie got a penalty when we both collided in Monza.
“He was not deserving of that penalty and I told him straight after the race, I didn’t understand how I got a 10-second penalty in Austin.
“Then the Brazil situation… so there’s been not one but multiple incidents this year that are, for me, far, far from where the sport should be.”
Sainz and Williams will race with a special livery for the third race in four this weekend.
I’m really pleased to share that we will be racing in a special-edition all-black livery for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the latest celebration of our title partner Atlassian and their ground-breaking AI teammate Rovo.
Rovo connects knowledge, people, and workflows so teams move… pic.twitter.com/c6TYhy0G19
— James Vowles (@JV_F1) November 19, 2025
Additional reporting by Kaitlin Tucci.
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