Carlos Sainz expressed intense frustration after he was blocked by Isack Hadjar during the qualifying session for the Canadian Grand Prix, resulting in the Williams driver being eliminated in Q1. Despite showing promising pace in practice, Sainz felt his entire weekend was compromised due to the interference from Hadjar.
With less than a tenth of a second separating him from Q2, Sainz remained upset in post-qualifying comments. He believed he was in a position to compete in the top eight but was hindered by Hadjar’s actions on track.
Sainz Details Incident and Its Impact on His Lap
Sainz recounted how he first noticed Hadjar blocking him between turns three and four, surprising him by not moving aside. The dirty air from Hadjar’s car cost Sainz valuable time. As he approached turn five, Hadjar still did not yield, forcing Sainz to lift off the throttle and attempt an overtaking move on the inside to turn six.
These incidents caused Sainz to lose three to four tenths of a second overall, a significant margin given that he missed Q2 by just 20 milliseconds. Frustrated, Sainz summed up the experience as a weekend wasted by the blockage.
“Well, I don’t care if I was fast. If in Q1 you arrive and there’s a guy in the middle of the road that completely blows your qualifying away and that means that your weekend is destroyed,” —Carlos Sainz, Williams
“I’m in P17 when I should be fighting for Q3 and top eight today, so I’m extremely disappointed.”
“So, it’s honestly very frustrating, but it’s what it is.”
Race Prospects Dimmed by Qualifying Setback
Starting 17th leaves Sainz facing an uphill battle in the race, but the driver remained focused on the disappointment from qualifying rather than looking ahead. He emphasized that although their pace had been strong throughout the weekend, the setback halted any further progress.
“Honestly, I don’t care right now, we’ve been quick all weekend, we were quick in race pace, but we’re still not where we want to be.”
Sainz acknowledged a need to recover from the compromised starting position but prioritized addressing the emotional toll of the qualifying incident over race strategy.
Hadjar’s Side: Miscommunication Behind the Incident
Isack Hadjar, meanwhile, qualified strongly by advancing to Q3 in ninth place but expressed regret over the clash with Sainz. The Frenchman pointed to a miscommunication within his team, as he was told Sainz had aborted his lap when, in fact, Sainz was still pushing hard.
“I never impede anyone, not even in practice,”
said Hadjar.
“I got told Carlos had aborted his lap, and in fact he was still pushing. So, complete miscommunication from what I got told. It’s a shame, it ruins his qualifying and probably a bit mine.”
Hadjar took responsibility for the confusion but maintained that impeding was never intentional.
Qualifying Overview and Wider Implications
Following the incident, the qualifying session saw George Russell secure pole position ahead of Max Verstappen, setting the stage for a competitive grand prix. However, for Sainz and Williams, the weekend’s hopes took a downturn due to an avoidable collision in qualifying.
This setback highlights how crucial clear communication and track awareness are during tightly contested qualifying sessions. Sainz’s frustration reflects the high stakes of missing out on Q2 by a razor-thin margin and how any interference can severely damage a driver’s race weekend.
Moving forward, Williams will need to address how incidents like this can be avoided to maximize their drivers’ opportunities, especially when running competitive pace. Sainz’s ability to recover in the race remains uncertain, but the emotional impact of this qualifying loss looms large over the team’s Canadian Grand Prix ambitions.
