Carlos Sainz has been slapped with a €25,000 fine by the FIA Race Stewards after dangerously crossing a live track during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix. The incident occurred following his dramatic crash in Q3, which not only jeopardized his starting position but also attracted the stewards’ scrutiny for his reckless actions afterward.
Sainz’s qualifying woes deepened when, after his crash, he crossed the pit lane entry while the track was still live, narrowly avoiding incoming cars. Already facing a P10 start and potential further penalties if his gearbox was too damaged, Sainz’s actions were called into question, and he was summoned to the stewards for a hearing.
An hour after the session ended, the FIA Stewards announced their decision. While Sainz escaped with no reprimand, he received a €25,000 fine, half of which (€12,500) is suspended for the remainder of the 2024 season, provided there are no further breaches of a similar nature. The Stewards cited “mitigating circumstances” as the reason for not imposing a harsher penalty.
FIA Stewards’ Statement on Sainz’s Incident
In their full statement, the FIA Stewards outlined the seriousness of Sainz’s actions: “The driver is fined €25,000, €12,500 of which is suspended for the remainder of the 2024 season on condition that there is no further breach of a similar nature.”
The Stewards’ investigation found that Sainz crossed the track and pit entry road without first obtaining permission from a marshal, contravening clear safety regulations that were reinforced by the Race Director in prior drivers’ meetings. “This is a potentially very dangerous situation,” the statement read, highlighting the risks even under red flag conditions.
Sainz argued that he believed the track was clear because he was beyond the pit entry and the red flag was already displayed. However, the Stewards noted that five cars were still circulating, and any one of them could have made a mistake or entered the pit lane faster than Sainz anticipated. The decision to impose a lighter fine compared to recent penalties was influenced by the fact that the track was not under normal race conditions but under a red flag.
The ruling mirrors similar incidents involving other drivers. Lando Norris was penalized for a similar infraction in Miami earlier this season, while Lewis Hamilton faced a comparable fine during last year’s Qatar GP.
Sainz’s incident serves as another reminder of the stringent safety standards enforced by the FIA, especially regarding actions taken on a live track. While he escaped harsher penalties this time, the warning is clear: further lapses in judgment could result in more severe consequences for the Spanish driver and his team.
