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McLaren">McLaren have been fined €5,000 for releasing driver Carlos Sainz from a pit stop in an unsafe manner during Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
Sainz was running in a positive sixth place for the team during his first pit stop, but a problem with the front right tyre meant that he went no further than the end of the pit lane and ended up retiring from race.
After investigating the pit stop, the stewards released the following statement in relation to the incident;
“The stewards determined that the car was released in an unsafe condition in breach of Article 28.13 c) of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
“We note that the driver stopped the car as soon as the problem with the right front wheel became evident.”
With close rivals and engine suppliers Renault taking their best joint result since 2008 with fourth and fifth place, Sainz believed that it had been a disappointing weekend for the team, but insisted that the pit crew were not to blame for the mistake,
“I had some problems after the contact with Albon. We lost a piece at the back of the car and we were losing two or three tenths per lap, but everything was going well." Sainz told Autosport after the race. "Then came the pitstop and it was a bit of chaos and there was a bit of a misunderstanding and we couldn’t make it.”
“The pit stops and the strategy have been very good this year. Today maybe we lost eight points because of it, but we’ve gained a lot more points thanks to strategy and pit stops this year than we lost today, so it’s time to analyse, to learn what we could have done better, but we don’t need to be too sad.”
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
4 members have this team as their favourite
Replies (3)
Login to replyajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
Truly a shame, Sainz was doing very well once again. What a let down
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
This ain't the first time for McLaren this year, if memory serves? I'm pretty sure they had another one a while ago.
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
At least they are on a generally upward trajectory. Ironing out the kinks, but I think they are going to be a force to be reckoned with next year. Renault too. They know how to make some good cars and good engines, maybe they can pull it together and take it to Red Bull next year. I'd really like to see Newey go to one of those teams. It would be a good challenge for him and put either one of them on top of the heap for sure. You must have heard the rumor. Did you hear Newey was going to McLaren?