Carlos Sainz criticizes Lewis Hamilton’s defensive move in final-lap Miami tussle: “If you follow the rulebook…”. Carlos Sainz criticized Lewis Hamilton's defending at the Miami Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton clashed at the final overtaking point of the last lap in the Miami Grand Prix, and the incident was later investigated. The Spanish driver was not impressed by the seven-time Formula 1 champion’s defending.

By the end of the 57-lap Miami GP, Lewis Hamilton was clearly struggling on his medium tyres, allowing Carlos Sainz – who had spent the final stint shadowing the two Ferraris – to apply some pressure. The Williams driver attempted a bold move into Turn 17, but Lewis Hamilton spotted him at the last moment and moved to cover the inside line during braking.

As a result, the two cars were in near-constant contact throughout the corner, but ultimately the Ferrari driver held onto eighth place. The FIA reviewed the incident after the chequered flag but issued no penalties, ruling that both drivers shared responsibility.

However, when Carlos Sainz was asked about the clash, he was not particularly satisfied: “He obviously tried everything he could to defend. I made an attempt in the last corner. But he only moved once he saw I was going for it. That’s how the contact happened, and to be honest, it’s quite typical.”

“But if you follow the rulebook, then he wasn’t allowed to move that much. Still, that’s how these things go on the final lap.”

Carlos Sainz’s race actually began strongly in Miami. After passing his teammate, he ran in sixth place. However, his pace was not as strong as Alex Albon’s, which led to first being overtaken by the Thai driver, and later by both Ferraris.

The four-time race winner also revealed he completed most of the race with some damage: “Well, due to some operational errors we started the race on used tyres, while everyone around us had fresh ones. That already put us at a disadvantage, losing a few tenths per lap.”

“I tried everything to hang on in the first stint, but I picked up some damage at the start when I was battling Alex. He later made a mistake, I managed to pass him, and then I was told to hold position. I don’t know if he got the same message or not, but he re-passed me,” Carlos Sainz revealed.

The virtual safety car also caught him out somewhat, and combined with the car’s partial damage, he was unable to stay ahead of the Ferraris. Nonetheless, Williams could still be satisfied with the result, as Alex Albon crossed the line in fifth, securing another strong haul of points.