Unseen team radio communications from the Hungarian Grand Prix exposed the moment when Carlos Sainz urged the FIA to penalize Pierre Gasly. This development comes after the Alpine driver received a 10-second penalty and two penalty points on his superlicense for causing a collision at Turn 4.
Gasly’s penalty ended his streak of consecutive points finishes, as he dropped from 17th to 19th place in the final classification following the incident with Sainz.
Details of the Collision and Race Impact at Budapest
The clash occurred in the closing stages of the race at Turn 2, where Gasly misjudged his braking and made contact with Sainz’s Williams. This contact forced Sainz off the track onto the painted runoff area, ultimately costing him a position to Nico Hulkenberg in the Sauber. Sainz finished the race in 14th place.
The untelevised footage captured Sainz’s immediate reaction over team radio, where he clearly stated, “That’s a penalty.” His race engineer, Gatean Jego, acknowledged the call, responding that they had seen the incident and would report it.
Sainz further explained,
He [forced me off] the corner.
—Carlos Sainz
Jego replied,
Copy, we saw. We saw and we’re reporting. We saw, we’re reporting.
—Gatean Jego
Consequences for Gasly and Team Reactions
Gasly’s car was also damaged in the incident, compounding his difficulties on a challenging day. The Alpine driver, who was already struggling with battery issues, reported to the team,
I think something is broken. The car is undriveable.
—Pierre Gasly
After finishing 14th, Sainz checked with his Williams team about any penalties for Gasly. In response, Jego commented on Gasly’s misjudgement and the potential for a points finish that was lost due to race strategy and the incident:
“Gasly misjudged that quite a bit. It would have been a recovery to P13. We tried the one stop, it didn’t work. There was potential for a point but it didn’t make it. I think that was good to try. Good race, good battles out there.”
—Gatean Jego
Williams team principal James Vowles praised Sainz’s effort, saying,
Strong drive today, Carlos. Well done. I think there was one position more ahead of you, but you did a good job. Ultimately, we need to go into the break, reset and we’ll come back at races that we’re going to be much, much stronger at. Thank you for this first half of the season.
—James Vowles
Sainz expressed concern over his pace on certain tracks, asking,
Thank you, James. Ultimately we just lack pace at these circuits. Did they do something for Gasly?
—Carlos Sainz
Jego confirmed the penalty, stating, “He got a 10-second penalty.”
Sainz’s History of Calling for FIA Penalties on Team Radio
This call for stronger FIA action is consistent with Sainz’s previous behavior on team radio. Last year at the Mexican Grand Prix, he urged the FIA to penalize Liam Lawson for ignoring blue flags during the race. At the time, Sainz, driving for Ferrari, was heard shouting:
LAW-SON! That should be a penalty. A penalty.
—Carlos Sainz
Sainz’s role as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association began last winter after replacing Sebastian Vettel, highlighting his increasing involvement in driver representation and race fairness issues.
Wider Context from the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
The Budapest race also featured notable moments involving Lewis Hamilton’s surprising performance, an investigation into Max Verstappen’s conduct, and rookie Oscar Piastri’s progress ahead of teammate Lando Norris. The event influenced the mid-season outlook, with many teams reflecting on their performance and strategy as they prepare for upcoming races.
Gasly and Sainz’s collision exemplifies the fine margins and intense battles that continue to shape the 2025 Formula 1 season, while the FIA’s penalties underscore its commitment to maintaining safety and fairness on the track.
