Carlos Sainz found himself in hot water after a controversial moment with Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the Bahrain GP — but the drama didn’t end there. The FIA initially slapped him with a three-place grid penalty for the next race, claiming his 10-second time penalty hadn’t been served. Cue the confusion.
Turns out, the penalty was served — just before Sainz retired from the race due to car damage. The FIA quickly backtracked, clarifying: “Penalty was served and should not be converted to a grid position penalty.” Oops.
The incident itself? Sainz locked up at Turn 10, shoving Antonelli off-track and costing him 2 positions.
The stewards weren’t having it, handing Sainz 2 penalty points (bringing his total to 3) and originally ruling the penalty couldn’t be served since he retired.
But here’s the twist — Sainz did serve the penalty on lap 44, just one lap before Williams pulled him out. The FIA’s quick U-turn saved him from a grid drop, but the debate over the call is already heating up.
Was it a harsh penalty? A lucky escape? Either way, it’s another messy chapter in the rulebook drama.
