Sainz at Risk of Grid Penalty for Mexico GP After Antonelli Clash

Carlos Sainz is facing a potential five-place grid penalty for the Mexican Grand Prix following his race-ending collision with Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. The incident, which occurred during an ambitious overtake attempt by Sainz, led to both drivers retiring from the race.

Why it matters:

This potential penalty could significantly hamper Sainz’s performance in Mexico, a critical race for any driver looking to gain momentum late in the season. For Williams, an additional grid drop for one of their drivers adds pressure to an already challenging campaign, especially after a similar incident between Sainz and Antonelli earlier this year.

The details:

• Sainz, starting ninth, had a strong start to the US GP, quickly moving past Ollie Bearman's Haas into eighth position.
• He then attempted an aggressive overtake on Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes at the tight Turn 15 left-hander.
• Sainz locked up as he tried to avoid Antonelli but ultimately made contact, spinning the Mercedes out of the race.
• Sainz attributed the incident to Antonelli 'turning in' to the corner. However, given Sainz initiated the move from a significant distance behind and did not have his front axle alongside Antonelli's mirror at the corner's apex, stewards are likely to find him at fault.
• As Sainz retired his Williams shortly after the clash, any penalty cannot be served during the US Grand Prix and will therefore be converted into a grid drop for the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix.
• This incident is also expected to result in two penalty points for Sainz, adding to the two he received earlier in the season for another collision with Antonelli in Bahrain.

What's next:

The stewards will conduct a full investigation into the clash after the US Grand Prix. If found guilty, Sainz will carry a five-place grid penalty into the Mexican Grand Prix, potentially impacting his starting position and race strategy. This recurrence of incidents with Antonelli will also be a point of concern for Sainz and his team as the season progresses.