Carlos Sainz under investigation for driving too slowly in Q2 | 2021 Austrian GP. Carlos under investigation for driving too slowly.

The Austrian Grand Prix stewards are investigating two further drivers over the incident in the second part of the qualifying session which led to Fernando Alonso being impended by Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel.

Former Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel was the first under investigation, but now the driving of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is also being looked at, as both were summed to the stewards for “driving unnecessarily slowly in the entry of turn nine and turn ten” prior to the incident as drivers began their final runs in Q2.

Drivers were warned on Saturday morning the stewards would pay especially close attention to drivers who slowed around the final two corners at the Red Bull Ring.

Fernando Alonso did not manage to finish his Q2 lap and qualified 14th. Sebastian Vettel failed to start his final run before the chequered flag fell, but still reached Q3 and took eighth on the grid, while Carlos Sainz was also eliminated in Q2 and Bottas claimed fifth on the grid.

Bottas and Sainz may have contributed indirectly to the incident. Alonso caught Vettel at the end of his flying lap in the session and was held up. Vettel had been overtaken by Bottas, who then slowed as he caught a queue of other drivers. Bottas had Perez and Vettel between himself and Alonso when he began his final run in Q2.

Carlos Sainz was running further ahead of the trio at the time. He caught up to the rear of Max Verstappen approaching turn nine and backed off, while others including Lance Stroll and Daniel Ricciardo waited behind him.