Williams seeks review of Sainz's Zandvoort penalty

Williams has lodged a petition for a right of review into Carlos Sainz’s penalty for causing a collision with Liam Lawson in the Dutch Grand Prix.

Sainz was given a 10-second time penalty for the contact with Lawson, which occurred when he was trying to overtake the Racing Bulls car around the outside of Turn 1. The Williams’ right front made contact with Lawson's left rear, giving both punctures, and the stewards at the time stated that the front axle of Sainz’s car was not ahead of the front axle of Lawson's at the apex.

Referencing the driving standards guidelines, the stewards added: "Car 55 attempted to stay on the outside of Car 30 and a collision occurred. We considered that Car 30 had the right to the corner and therefore Car 55 was wholly or predominantly to blame for the collision.”

Sainz sought out the stewards after the race as he was frustrated with the decision, claiming Lawson moved across on him, while Lawson himself said the penalty was right by the letter of the guidelines but that he doesn’t necessarily agree with those rules.

“We can confirm we have submitted a right of review to the FIA relating to Carlos’ penalty in Zandvoort,” a Williams spokesperson said. “It is important for us to understand how to go racing in future, and we are hopeful of a positive outcome.”

No time has yet been set for the right of review – during which Williams must display the emergence of a significant and relevant new element that was not available at the time of the decision – but the request comes after Alex Albon admitted his own uncertainty over the rules of racing.

“I was the car behind, so I would say I had the best view of it,” Albon said. “I think at the time on the radio, after coming out onto the back straight, I kind of said, ‘OK, well, I think Liam's at fault there’. It was clearly at fault, from my point of view, from the back. I think I got told about Carlos' penalty on the in-lap after the race, and that was also surprising.

“I think as a driver, you kind of have your version of the inter-combat rules as well, on top of what the FIA have. It looked to me like, at best, a racing incident, and then, if anything, a penalty towards Liam.

“I'm not that clear when I go racing wheel-to-wheel what I'm allowed to do and what I can't do, and I play more under my own rules, what is a fair overtake, what is a fair defense, kind of thing. It works for me doing it that way.

“Generally speaking, the door is open for us to speak with the FIA, and they are constantly telling us that is the case, and that is the case. But it does feel like the water's murky in terms of knowing how you can race. It is confusing for me.”