» Grid penalty for Sainz-Stroll clash

Carlos Sainz Jr will serve a three-place grid drop for the Russian Grand Prix as a result of his collision with Lance Stroll during Sunday night’s race in Bahrain.

The Toro Rosso and Williams drivers made contact on the thirteenth lap of the race when Sainz appeared to hit Stroll at Turn 1.

Sainz had just pitted and was rejoining the track. Diving up the inside of Stroll on approach to the right-hand corner, an unsighted Stroll found himself T-boned.

Both drivers retired on the spot and were later summoned to the FIA Stewards for a hearing, where the panel – which included former F1 driver Danny Sullivan – ruled Sainz at fault.

Describing the Spaniard’s move as “very optimistic”, the stewards handed him a three-place grid penalty for the next Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom as well as two penalty points to his FIA Super License. Sainz now has seven penalty points in the last twelve months.

“Car 18 [Stroll] was on the normal racing line, Car 55 [Sainz] left the pit lane and made a very optimistic attempt to pass car 18 into the corner,” an excerpt of the stewards’ summary reads.

“The Stewards decided that the driver of Car 55 was predominately to blame for causing the collision in violation of Article 27.4 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.”

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