Liam Lawson Pushes Back Against Carlos Sainz Amid FIA Criticism

Liam Lawson has defended his approach to racing following criticism from Carlos Sainz over their collision at the Dutch Grand Prix, suggesting the Spaniard should accept the penalty handed down under Formula 1 regulations.



The incident occurred on lap 27, immediately after a safety car restart, when Sainz attempted an overtake on Lawson into Turn 1.



The Collision and Penalty



The stewards determined that Sainz’s Williams was not far enough alongside Lawson’s Racing Bulls car at the point of contact.



As a result, Sainz was deemed “wholly or predominantly to blame” for the collision and handed a 10-second penalty.



Both drivers suffered punctures, forcing pit stops that dropped them to the back of the field.



They eventually recovered to 12th for Lawson and 13th for Sainz.



Sainz Raises Concerns



Over team radio, Sainz labeled Lawson “stupid” and later told reporters that his rival should “pick his battles.”



He also voiced concern about the standard of stewarding, suggesting the ruling raised broader issues for the sport.



“It’s a serious matter now that concerns me as a driver, as a GPDA director, and is something I will make sure I raise,” Sainz said.



Lawson Responds



Lawson, however, stood by his actions and noted that the rules are applied consistently across similar situations.



“The rules are written as they are, and we know how they’re written,” Lawson explained.



“I’ve been on the receiving end this year as well, where I was going for an overtake and thought that I should be given space, and I wasn’t, and I got a penalty. It’s something that we learn from.”



He highlighted the difficult conditions at the restart.



“It’s lap one of a restart, super slippery, cold tyres. It’s fine to go for the move, but it’s just risky. We made contact, which is not ideal, but that’s why he got a penalty.”



Direct Words for Sainz



When asked about Sainz’s suggestion that he should rethink his racing approach, Lawson was blunt.



“I think he was overtaking me, and I think he got the penalty,” Lawson said.



“He can make all the comments in the world he likes. I wish he’d just come and talk to me about it, rather than telling everybody else.”



Lawson added that while he understood Sainz’s frustration, the outcome was determined by the regulations.



“If it were my fault, I would have got a penalty,” he said.



“It’s just the way the rules are written, we all know that.”
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