FIA gives verdict on Carlos Sainz swearing in Bahrain after hefty Japan fine

Carlos Sainz avoided an additional fine from the FIA for swearing during a press conference while expressing frustration over a €10,000 penalty from Japan.

Despite introducing new regulations to combat expletive language from drivers during race weekend broadcasts, the FIA will not be imposing a fine on Carlos Sainz. The Spanish driver swore during the drivers' press conference in Bahrain when recounting his €10,000 fine for being late to the national anthem in Japan.

Sainz was slapped with a €20,000 fine, with half payable now and half suspended, for being five seconds late to the national anthem ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. The driver was suffering from an upset stomach, which the FIA doctor verified. However, the FIA felt it still necessary to fine him.

The Williams driver explained to the media: "I think I'm the biggest supporter of punctuality and being punctual to things, especially a national anthem, with all the authorities there.

"So I was the first one to put my hand up and say, 'I'm late, I'm sorry for that'.

"At the same time, I was five seconds late. And to be five seconds late and have to pay €10,000 euros, for me is out of the question that we're having to pay these fines.

"I don't know if I'm going to get another fine for saying this but s**t happens. That's the way it is. It's the way it goes sometimes.

"I mean 10k, you guys know what 10k is here. For five seconds, it's disappointing.

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

"As I always said, I hope someone tells me where this 10k goes and I can say at least it went for a nice cause, and I will be looking forward to see where they go."

Following Max Verstappen's community service and Charles Leclerc's €10,000 for swearing during press conferences last year, it seemed likely that Sainz would be slapped with another financial penalty. However, the FIA media delegate decided not to report the incident to the stewards due to a conversation they had with Sainz following the blunder, which included an apology.

On top of the off-track drama, Sainz is continuing to adapt to his new Williams machinery. He commented on the current challenges in his transition from Ferrari to the Grove outfit, explaining:

“If you expect to see the best of Carlos Sainz at Williams in the third race in a new car, then you don’t understand the sport very well or you [don’t] know how long it might take for a driver to actually get fully up to speed with the car and fully understand where the last tenth-and-a-half or two-tenths of each car lies.

“Looking back at the first three races, I think I still haven’t yet put a full weekend together. The speed has been there in Australia and Suzuka; in China I had a bit of an off weekend for many different reasons, but to be honest in Australia and Suzuka I think I was pretty quick, especially given that I’m still new to the car.

“To manage to be close or in the same tenth as Alex [Albon] all the way through Quali I think is a good start, a good point to start the season.

“I just need to make sure now we start doing less mistakes when it comes to executing the weekend and keep improving my speed, because obviously the speed we can still improve a little bit. We are not as far as it seems – we just need to put a full weekend together and it will come.”