Carlos Sainz receives rare penalty after British GP Safety Car infringement
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated: 21:25, 05 Jul
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Carlos Sainz has received a one penalty lap after the British GP after the Spaniard was deemed to have unlapped himself under the Safety Car when not entitled to do so.
Sainz had finished P12 at Silverstone, while his teammate Alex Albon retired during the late Safety Car caused by a Max Verstappen crash - the Thai driver had already suffered a 10-second penalty following an early clash with Hass Ollie Bearman.
Sainz receives one penalty lap at British GP
A lengthy FIA statement reads: "The Stewards heard from the team representative and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing and in-car video evidence.
"Although Car 55 was lapped at Safety Car Line 1 when entering the pit lane, due to the specific track and pit lane configuration at Silverstone it had temporarily unlapped itself by the time it crossed the Line at the end of the lap during which it crossed Safety Car Line 1 for the second time after the Safety Car was deployed.
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"Consequently, Car 55 was not a lapped car for the purposes of Article B5.13.4 c) and was therefore not entitled to overtake the Safety Car when the "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" message was displayed. However, Car 55 unlapped itself once the message was displayed by Race Control.
"The Stewards noted that, after completing its pit stop, Car 55 once again was a lapped car when it re-joined the track. Given the exceptional track layout at this event, the Stewards understand how the sequence of events may have contributed to the team's confusion.
"The team representative acknowledged that the team nevertheless made two errors: firstly, by failing to recognise that Car 55 was not a lapped car at the relevant reference point under Article B5.13.4 c), and secondly, by failing to note that Car 55 was not included in the Race Control message identifying the cars permitted to overtake the Safety Car. The team representative accepted that they inadvertently gained a lap when they were not entitled to do so.
"In determining the appropriate penalty, the Stewards considered Article 12.4.1.i of the FIA International Sporting Code. The Stewards are satisfied that the penalty lap is one of the penalties available to them under the FIA International Sporting Code and considered it to be the most appropriate penalty in the circumstances of this case."
Here is the FIA document:
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Photo: FIA
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