Breaking news
Formula 1 Italian GP
McLaren fined for Sainz's unsafe release at Monza
The McLaren Formula 1 team has been fined €5000 for the unsafe release of Carlos Sainz during the Italian Grand Prix.
Pablo Elizalde
Edited: Sep 13, 2019, 1:19 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sainz looked set for a sixth-place finish before he made his pitstop, during which the front right wheel was not attached properly, forcing the Spaniard to retire from the race just seconds later.
The stewards deemed the incident an unsafe release and thus fined McLaren, although they noted Sainz stopped the car as soon as he realised.
"The Stewards determined that the car was released in an unsafe condition in breach of Article 28.13 c) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations," the stewards said. "We note that the driver stopped the car as soon as the problem with the right front wheel became evident."
Sainz labelled the pitstop a "bit of a disaster" after the race.
"It was a bit of everything," he said when asked to explain what had happened.
"The light turned green and I thought the car was ready to go, then [it] turned red again, we lifted the car again, they fitted the tyre again, we got the car down again and it looked like we were ready to go but then...
"It was all a bit of a disaster, but these things happen. We are all human and we can all make mistakes. Maybe there was something broken somewhere. We need to analyse, learn and improve."
Despite the disappointment, the McLaren driver felt that was no reason to blame the team, as he reckons strategy and pitstops have been one of its strongest points in other races.
"It's a shame, because sixth place looked more or less secured the ways things were going today," Sainz added.
"The Renaults were faster and [Red Bull driver Alexander] Albon couldn't pass me when he caught me with the soft tyre and I thought he would be faster with the mediums. 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. 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.
"But the pitstops 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 pitstops this year than we 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."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Monza penalty leaves Vettel three points from race ban
Next article Verstappen says rivals "almost stood still" at start
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Pablo Elizalde
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP Jan 27, 2025
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
MotoGP
MotoGP Dec 14, 2024
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
Formula 1
Formula 1 Nov 27, 2024
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
More from
Carlos Sainz
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 d
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1 25 d
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
More from
McLaren
What's behind Oscar Piastri's split with Mark Webber – and what it means for his F1 career
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
4 d
What's behind Oscar Piastri's split with Mark Webber – and what it means for his F1 career
Latest news
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
1 h
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
2 h
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 6 h
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe