Carlos Sainz concluded his qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix in seventh position. During the qualifying session, he made a mistake by driving too close to the gravel before turn 1, resulting in minor damage to his suspension and front wing. As a result, he spun and hit the side wall, leaving him stranded on the track for a short period of time.
However, after a few minutes, with the assistance of the MGUK, Carlos Sainz was able to restart his engine and return to the pits for repairs. Despite the setback, he managed to advance to Q3 and secure seventh place in the final qualifying round. Subsequently, Aston Martin lodged a complaint against Sainz and the Ferrari team, which was acknowledged by the FIA.
Following the accident during qualifying, Carlos Sainz remained stationary in his SF-24 for a few minutes before being able to resume. According to the regulations, any driver whose car stops on track during qualifying or the qualifying shootout session cannot continue participating in that session. Aston Martin’s complaint is based on the belief that Sainz violated Article 39.6, which prohibits drivers from continuing in qualifying after stopping on track. The FIA’s decision on this matter is yet to be determined.
While Aston Martin filed a complaint against Carlos Sainz for his actions during qualifying in Shanghai, the driver himself provided a detailed explanation of the accident after the event. The sudden nature of the accident surprised everyone, including commentators who were shocked by Sainz’s collision with the barriers.
After the race, Carlos Sainz admitted to making a simple mistake by hitting the inside curb too hard, causing him to run wide and touch the gravel on the exit, resulting in a spin. Just before the impact, he managed to slightly turn the steering wheel, allowing for a better angle of collision. Sainz attributed the accident to excessive use of the accelerator before the incident and a momentary loss of control when his wheel touched the gravel before turn 1. Following his recovery, Carlos Sainz qualified behind his teammate and will certainly be eager to make a recovery in tomorrow’s 53-lap Chinese Grand Prix.
