22 November 2025PlanetF1Breaking newsRace reportQualifying reportReactions
FIA Clears Carlos Sainz After Las Vegas GP Qualifying Incident
Carlos Sainz avoids penalty for an unsafe rejoin incident with Lance Stroll during a rain-affected Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying. The FIA's decision allows the Williams driver to retain his impressive third-place grid position, citing poor visibility and Stroll's team confirming no issue. This clears Sainz to start behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, crucial for Williams' strong weekend showing.
Carlos Sainz has been cleared of any penalty following an incident with Lance Stroll during qualifying for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the FIA announced. The Williams driver, who qualified an impressive third in a rain-affected session, was investigated for an unsafe rejoin but will retain his grid position.
Why it matters:
- This decision is crucial for Sainz and Williams, as a penalty would have jeopardized a strong qualifying performance in challenging conditions, potentially shifting the grid for a highly anticipated race in Las Vegas.
- For F1, it underscores the stewards' consideration of adverse weather and driver intent, reflecting a nuanced approach to on-track incidents, especially when visibility is a major factor.
The details:
- Sainz made a mistake in Q1, going straight on at Turn 5 in tricky, rain-affected conditions.
- While attempting to rejoin the track, he came close to Lance Stroll's Aston Martin.
- The FIA summoned Sainz and a Williams representative to investigate an alleged unsafe rejoin.
- Stewards' Verdict: After reviewing data, video, and in-car footage, and hearing from both teams, the stewards decided to take "no further action."
- Key Factor: Aston Martin's representative confirmed that Stroll did not perceive Sainz's maneuver as unsafe and that it did not cause any issue to the driver.
- Mitigating Circumstances: The stewards cited "poor visibility due to the adverse weather conditions" and the presence of "yellow flags" as contributing factors to their decision.
Between the lines:
- Sainz explained that his immediate concern after going off was to minimize the duration of the yellow flag he had created, aiming to rejoin as safely and quickly as possible to avoid impacting other drivers' laps.
- He highlighted the challenging nature of Q1, noting that many drivers were on warm-up laps, struggling with inters, and making mistakes due to extremely poor visibility.
What's next:
- With this decision, Carlos Sainz will start the Las Vegas Grand Prix from third position, behind polesitter Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
- His strong starting position gives Williams a significant opportunity to score valuable points in what is expected to be a dramatic race, especially given the unpredictable conditions seen in qualifying.