Carlos Sainz warns George Russell top drivers “don’t normally make” such mistakes amid Austin crash. Carlos says the stewards were right to penalise Russell.

Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz was rightfully very upset after the events which took place on the opening lap of the 2022 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix and admitted that the stewards were right to penalise Mercedes’ George Russell after the British driver caused a collision between the two which forced the Spaniard to retire from the Austin race.

Carlos Sainz and George Russell made contact at the first corner of the Circuit of the Americas, after the Ferrari driver did not have an ideal start from pole position. The Mercedes driver, who started the United States Grand Prix from fourth place, tried to make a move on the inside but locked up and the two drivers made contact. Carlos Sainz was therefore hit and spun to the inside of the track. He returned to the Ferrari pits, but due to radiator damage he was not able to continue the race:

“I didn’t get the best of starts. I think Max got a really good one because mine compared to the Mercs wasn’t too bad. We’ve seen him many, many years here P2 get a better start than P1 for a reason that we don’t understand yet. And then, yeah, I was in the middle of a fight with Max and suddenly came someone that wasn’t even in that fight and bumped into me. So I don’t think it needs too much explanation and images.” – the Ferrari driver explained.

George Russell was of course found guilty of causing a collision and received a five-second time penalty, which wasn’t even the harshest penalty he could have been given taking into consideration the fact that Carlos couldn’t continue the race: “For sure a penalty was deserved,” said Carlos, in his post-race interview – “If he deserves five, 10 or a stop-go I’m not going to evaluate. I think you’ve never seen this kind of incident in the top three positions because normally in the top four drivers don’t do these kind of mistakes. I was battling with Max and then Russell came like crazy and hits me. There’s little to nothing you can do against that. It sums up a bit the year I’m having, things aren’t going my way mostly on Sundays but we have to move on and keep trying ” – Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz concluded.

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