F1 steward admits "it felt wrong" to penalise Carlos Sainz in Las Vegas

F1 steward Derek Warwick has conceded “it was wrong” to hand Carlos Sainz a grid penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA,
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand…

Sainz was forced 🐎into an engine change after sustaining damage in opening practice in Vegas last month.

T𝔉he Spaniard ran over a loose manhole, which completely damaged the underside of his car.

Ferrari were forced to change his chassis and give him new ♓engine components - incur♍ring a 10-place grid penalty as a result.

As the dౠamage wasn’t through his own error - or Ferrari’s poor reliability - the team hoped they’d avoid picking up the standard griꩵd penalty.

However, the FIA were left with no choice but to award Sainz a grid drop - a decision that cost Sainz a P2 start for the race, having a knock-on effect i🦄n the battle for second in the constructors’ championship.

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA,
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix…
, Warwick revealed that the stewards team at the 💖time pushed for no penalty to be handed out.

"It's a difficult job for a steward, the same as a referee, and we've got to be imparꦿtial, we've got to be strict and we've got to be hard sometimes even when it hurts us," he said.

"The penalty we had to give Sainz in Vegas, it felꦰt wrong, it w⭕as wrong, we worked very hard for it not to happen but they're the rules."

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