Stewards overturn Sainz’s Dutch GP penalty after Williams review

Stewards Rescind Sainz’s Zandvoort Penalty After Williams Wins Right of Review

Carlos Sainz has had his penalty from the Dutch Grand Prix rescinded after Williams successfully pursued a right of review, with newly presented camera angles convincing stewards the clash with Liam Lawson’s Racing Bull was a racing incident. While the two penalty points on Sainz’s super license have been removed, the 10-second time penalty he served during the race stands and the classification will not be amended.

Williams Initiates Right of Review

Williams triggered the rare and stringent review process during last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, less than a week after the Zandvoort incident. In a Friday hearing, the team produced evidence deemed new, relevant, and significant: 360-degree footage from Sainz’s car, additional rear-facing footage from Lawson’s car, and testimony from Sainz. The stewards accepted the two new camera angles—unavailable at the time of the original decision—but ruled that driver testimony was not subject to review, noting in-race decisions are often made without it.

New Evidence and Stewards’ Decision

Williams argued the fresh footage showed Lawson’s car break traction and slide just before contact, leaving Sainz unable to avoid the collision. In their decision, stewards agreed the new evidence reframed the incident.

"Having considered the matter extensively and having reviewed the new video evidence and heard from the drivers of both cars and their team representatives, the stewards determine to rescind the decision," a statement said. "The stewards agree with Williams' characterisation of the collision as a racing incident.

"The stewards are satisfied that the collision was caused by a momentary loss of control by Car 30. However, in the stewards' assessment, no driver was wholly or predominantly to blame for that collision.

"Car 55 contributed to the incident by taking the risk to drive close to, and on the outside of, Car 30 when Car 55 had no right to room there and there was a real possibility that, if the collision had not occurred where it did, Car 55 would run out of track at the exit and/or a collision would have occurred at the exit for which the Driver of Car 55 would likely be predominantly if not wholly to blame."

Time Penalty Stands

Although the decision itself was rescinded, stewards emphasized they could not retroactively remove a time penalty already served, nor change the race classification. They noted the margin to the car ahead—coincidentally Lawson’s Car 30—was 17 seconds, underscoring that the finishing order would have remained unaffected even without the 10-second sanction.

"The time penalty imposed by the decision was served by Car 55 during the race. The stewards have no power to remedy that served time penalty by amending the classifications but note that the gap between Car 55 to the car ahead in the final classification of the race (coincidently Car 30) was 17 seconds.

"The decision having been rescinded, it follows that the 2 penalty points imposed on the driver of Car 55 are to be removed."

Williams Responds

Williams welcomed the outcome, while calling for continued collaboration on officiating improvements.

"We are grateful to the stewards for reviewing Carlos' Zandvoort penalty and are pleased they have now decided he was not at fault and that this was a racing incident," a team spokesperson said. "While it is frustrating that our race was compromised by the original decision, mistakes are part of motor racing and we will continue to work constructively with the FIA to improve stewarding processes and review the racing rules for the future."

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