Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz has urged Formula 1 to introduce a rule with the goal of solving the issue of red flags in the qualifying sessions, as the Spaniard pointed out there some drivers has crashed on purpose “a few” times.
The Ferrari man was asked to comment on this topic after the recent information which appeared after the previous round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Brazilian Grand Prix, regarding the fact that Red Bull’s Sergio Perez had intentionally crashed in the qualifying session for the 2022 Monte Carlo Grand Prix, as the Mexican spun on his last fast run, making it impossible for the rest of the drivers to complete their final flying laps.
Carlos Sainz pointed out that the matter of giving penalties for yellow or red flags in qualifying sessions for such moments that can compromise drivers’ fast runs, has been discussed for some time now, but he feels it is an issue that has to be sorted out as soon as possible.
The Spanish driver was asked to comment on Sergio Perez’s crash in Monaco, as Carlos Sainz took part in today’s press conference at Yas Marina, ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
“Without commenting if it was on purpose or not, I think it’s for real now that all drivers – we want some kind of a rule,” he replied – “If you generate a red flag or a yellow flag, even if it’s intentional or not, there should be something done to that driver, because you’ve compromised the other nine on purpose, or maybe not. But you should get a penalty for it. If not, we’re all gonna start playing with it.” – the Ferrari driver explained.
Carlos Sainz then suggested that intentional spins and crashes have in fact happened much more than imagined previously:
“I have seen over the last few years a lot more play around with it, than what you might even have picked out in the media. I’m not gonna go into whether if it was on purpose or not, I think all 20 drivers in ourselves, when we analyse these kind of incidents, we know immediately if the driver has done it on purpose or not, because we’re not stupid. But I’m not going to comment. It’s an incident of the past. I’m just going to say that, if there would be a rule, it wouldn’t even go through your head. Even I think apply it to Q3 lappers, because it means that, in Q3, there’s a lot to win, but also something to lose. So you need to put a really good lap together with no mistakes if you want to take pole position.” – Carlos Sainz added.
The media of course insisted on this matter and asked for some clear examples of crashes he felt were on purpose. The Spaniard laughed and replied he would “need to take the media out without microphones and tell a few stories”.
On whether the drivers have reached an agreement regarding a clear penalty system for such moments in qualifying , Carlos Sainz continued: “No, but I think it’s yet to be discussed. I think we’ve raised it a few times, but it’s never been concluded into something. I think for next year, that should be done. [There’s been] a few. It’s not regular. But it’s been enough times already that should there should be some kind of a rule.” – Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz concluded.
Leave a Reply