Carlos Sainz says that Formula 1 could be better served with permanent stewards, so that drivers have more knowledge of how incidents are likely to be treated.
Williams has successfully submitted a petition for a right to revise the fine given to Sainz in the Dutch Grand Prix, when he received a time penalty of 10 seconds and two penalty points for causing a collision with Liam Lawson. After that fine was withdrawn from assessmentSainz says he still doesn’t know for sure why stewards sometimes make a decision during the race, but the drivers want to speak on other occasions.
“No, I don’t know how they approach every situation, whether they leave it for later or at the moment,” said Sainz. “I think it is fair to say that there is relative pressure from media, drivers and everyone who wants to know that when the race ends, you want to know the actual result instead of having to wait two hours to actually decide. I think we are all unconscious, perhaps – a little bit of that on the steward to remove decisions.
“I think what would help is that if I knew that the referees were always the same in every race. I would know because of the pattern and for years of working with the same referees if they would judge that incident at that time or not. But if you work with different referees, it is very difficult to know and understand if it comes or not.”
Although Sainz believes that permanent stewards would improve things, he says he understands the opposition against such a relocation of other drivers.
“I think not everyone is the same way if they can use the argument of football. In football we have different referees and nobody complains, or other sports always have the same referee and the sporting fairness [concern is] that there may be a man who is punished two or three times, he will start [saying]”It’s that steward who hates me.” So I understand where they come from and those who don’t defend [having] Permanent stewards, I understand their point.
“I just have a very clear opinion about that. We are talking to the racing director [Rui Marques] – I really enjoy this new racing director, the approach he has and we are starting to understand the kind of decisions that he is going to make. Thanks to working, the relationship is now growing with him for a year and I have been seeing him being in sport for a long time.
“We don’t change a race director every race, we have a regular racing director and I see the benefits that it gives to the sport and the development with the drivers and the development of the relationship.”
Despite the fact that the current structure can be improved, Sainz says that he was encouraged by the way in which the assessment process played out, and he does not reflect on the in-race fine he served in the Netherlands.
“After Zandvoort you clearly saw me quite upset about the whole situation, because I was very convinced that we had a point and we had a chance,” he said. “Especially when I went after the race to talk to the stewards, they were actually quite open to the discussion and to let me give my POV.
“I could see that they also had a good conversation and realized that the judgment may not be completely correct and the fact that the FIA gave us the chance and there were enough mechanisms to reopen the discussion, I think it is a positive step. The fact that they even took the opportunity to return the fine points or to cancel the fine and the fine is a good sign.
“I am not saying that every case and every scenario should be the same, but I think cases they are pretty clear, I think it is good to see that there are mechanisms and ways to return.”
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