New Footage Reveals Sainz Passed Seven Blue Flags Before Piastri Collision in Hungary

New onboard footage from the Hungarian Grand Prix has revealed that Carlos Sainz passed seven blue-flag warnings before his collision with race leader Oscar Piastri at Turn 2. The evidence significantly complicates Sainz's defense, in which he cited system issues and a blind spot for the contact that ultimately contributed to Piastri's retirement from a potential victory.

Why it matters:

The clash proved devastating for Piastri, who was fighting for the win when Sainz forced tyre-to-tyre contact that cost him crucial time to Lando Norris before a gearbox failure ended his race. Beyond the penalty, the incident has intensified scrutiny of blue-flag systems after another driver confirmed malfunctioning dashboard alerts made compliance nearly impossible throughout the afternoon.

The details:

• Seven Warnings: Sainz passed three blue panels at the end of the preceding lap, two on the pit straight, and a final two at the exit of Turn 1 and entry of Turn 2 before colliding with Piastri.
• Penalty Reduced: Stewards deemed Sainz "wholly responsible" but handed a five-second penalty rather than the standard 10, judging that his positioning on the circuit limited visibility of Piastri's McLaren.
• Conflicting Accounts: While Sainz cited "an issue with the blue flags' system" and claimed Piastri sat in his blind spot, stewards confirmed the Williams driver had been informed that Piastri was approaching.
• Widespread Issues: Haas driver Oliver Bearman, who received a similar penalty, explained that his dashboard was flooded with blue-flag screens lacking car numbers, making it nearly impossible to know if alerts applied to him.

What's next:

Piastri's retirement leaves his championship bid dented at a critical stage of the season, while the footage may prompt calls for clearer blue-flag protocols. Williams also faces renewed questions about cockpit visibility after Sainz missed seven separate warnings despite a direct radio message from his pit wall.