Sainz Penalty Details: Collision with Antonelli

William’s Carlos Sainz Jr. (pictured after USGP Sprint Race) has been handed a five-place grid drop for next weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix following a high-stakes collision with Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli during Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.

The incident unfolded in the closing stages of the race at Circuit of the Americas, where Sainz, gunning for seventh place, dove inside Antonelli at Turn 15. As the pair approached the apex, Sainz locked his brakes under braking pressure, leading to unavoidable contact that wrecked his front wing and forced him to retire from the race.

Antonelli, making waves in his Mercedes debut, was shuffled down the order but fought back impressively to salvage 13th place.

Stewards, adhering to Formula 1’s Driving Standards Guidelines, pinned primary blame on Sainz for the mishap. He was initially slapped with a 10-second time penalty and two points on his superlicense. With Sainz unable to serve the time addition after pulling out, the punishment was converted into the grid penalty for Mexico City.

In their official statement, the stewards detailed the sequence: “Car 55 [Sainz] attempted an inside overtake on Car 12 [Antonelli] at Turn 15, and a collision between the two cars occurred at the apex. The driver of Car 55 maintained that he had expected the driver of Car 12 to leave him space at the apex, but Car 12 turned in early, and Car 55 locked brakes when it became clear that a collision was unavoidable.

“He suggested that the driver of Car 12 ought to have anticipated an overtake attempt by Car 55 and left space to avoid contact. However, at no point prior to the apex was the front axle of Car 55 alongside or ahead of the mirror of Car 12.

“Therefore, according to the Driving Standards Guidelines, Car 55 had not earned a right to be left space at the apex. The stewards therefore determine that the driver of Car 55 was predominantly to blame for the collision, and a penalty is applied accordingly.”

The penalty adds another layer of challenge for Sainz, who was already nursing frustrations from a race-ending shunt, as Ferrari eyes a strong showing in the constructors’ battle ahead of the Mexico showdown.