Infringement - Car 55 - Collision with car 81

• Document: 54
• Date: 26 July 2026
• Time: 16:54
• Session: Race
• Driver: Carlos Sainz (Car 55)
• Competitor: Atlassian Williams F1 Team
• Fact: Car 55 collided with car 81.
• Infringement: Breach of Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 d) of the FIA International Sporting Code.
• Decision: 5 second time penalty.

Reason

The Stewards examined video, telemetry, team radio and in-car camera evidence. On Lap 38, at the approach to Turn 3, Car 55 was engaged in a battle with Car 14. The driver of Car 55 had been informed by the team that blue flags were being shown due to the approach of Car 81. As Car 81 attempted to overtake, contact occurred between Cars 55 and 81.

The Stewards determined that the driver of Car 55 was wholly responsible for the collision with Car 81. While the standard penalty for causing a collision is a 10-second time penalty, the Stewards identified a mitigating factor. At the point of the incident, the positioning of Car 55 relative to the circuit and the other cars meant that Car 81 was not visible to the driver of Car 55 prior to the attempted overtake. Although the driver had been informed that Car 81 was approaching, the Stewards accepted that the limited visibility reduced the degree of culpability.

Taking this mitigating circumstance into account, the Stewards determined that a 5 second time penalty, rather than the standard 10 second penalty, was appropriate.

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Stewards: Garry Connelly, Matthew Selley, Richa Mergulhao, Vitantonio Liuzzi, István Moni