Carlos Sainz urged the introduction of permanent stewards in Formula 1 following the overturning of his penalty from the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix. The Spanish driver, who races for Williams and saw his penalty reversed after a review, believes permanent officials could reduce errors in race incident rulings.
During the Dutch GP, Sainz was engaged in a fierce battle with Liam Lawson when both drivers made contact on track. Race officials initially handed Sainz a 10-second time penalty along with two points added to his Superlicense for the collision, which resulted in a drop to 13th place, outside the points.
Williams exercised their right to review the decision after the race, leading the FIA to reassess the incident thoroughly. The stewards eventually rescinded the penalty, although Sainz could not recover the time lost during the event. Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan GP, Sainz shared his reflections on the matter and the stewards’ processes.
“I was pretty convinced after the race that it was a mistake or a lack of judgement and I’m very glad that the FIA has had the resources and the possibility to change that,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1.
“Moving forward the only thing that I could advocate for is permanent stewards. I think it’s something that would help in these kind of cases and keep working as a group to see how we can help the FIA to keep improving in the judgement of these kinds of decisions.”
Although the FIA removed the two penalty points from Sainz’s Superlicense, the 10-second penalty he served during the race remains on record, making the appeal’s impact limited to his post-race standing and licence status.
FIA’s Explanation for Reversing the Penalty on Carlos Sainz
After Williams lodged the right to review, the FIA provided a detailed explanation regarding their decision to overturn the penalty against Sainz. The governing body examined new video evidence and consulted with both drivers and their respective teams before reaching their conclusion.
“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 have determined to rescind the Decision. The Stewards agree with Williams’ characterisation of the collision as a racing incident.”
This statement highlights the finding that the incident was deemed a typical racing event rather than one deserving of punishment, recognizing the competitive nature of the collision between Sainz and Lawson.
Carlos Sainz’s Journey with Williams and Career Context
Carlos Sainz joined Williams for the 2025 season after leaving Ferrari to make room for Lewis Hamilton at the Italian team. At Williams, he races alongside Alex Albon, with team leadership provided by Sporting Director James Vowles, as the Grove-based outfit targets consistent improvements in performance.
Currently, Sainz is placed 18th in the Drivers’ Championship with 16 points accumulated across 16 races and three Sprint events. In contrast, his teammate Alex Albon stands considerably higher in seventh place with 70 points. Williams themselves hold fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship with a total of 86 points this season.
Implications and Future Impact on FIA Stewardship
Sainz’s call for permanent stewards reflects a broader concern among drivers and teams about consistency and fairness in race adjudication. He emphasizes that having a stable panel of officials would strengthen decision-making and reduce subjective errors during on-track clashes.
The FIA’s willingness to review and overturn penalties using new evidence demonstrates its commitment to fairness, yet also exposes gaps in real-time stewarding that could be addressed with permanent officials. As the sport evolves, the debate around stewarding standards and governance reforms is likely to intensify, potentially influencing how incidents are judged in future seasons.
Carlos Sainz’s experience at the Dutch GP serves as a case study for ongoing discussions on improving the reliability and transparency of race incident reviews, with hopes that changes could benefit drivers, teams, and fans alike.
