Sainz keeps seventh on grid as stewards reject Aston Martin’s protest

Carlos Sainz Jnr will start the Chinese Grand Prix from seventh on the grid after the stewards dismissed a protest by Aston Martin.

The team lodged a protest claiming Sainz should not have been allowed to take further part in the session after he stopped his car when he crashed during Q2. The session was red-flagged and race control noted his car had come to a stop, as Aston Martin noted in their protest.

After sitting at the edge of the track for around 77 seconds, Sainz was able to move away and drive back to the pits. He took part in the rest of the qualifying session, reached Q3 and qualified seventh. By reaching Q3 he prevented Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll from doing the same, as he was eliminated in 11th place.

Aston Martin protested the results of qualifying, citing article 39.6 of the Sporting Regulations. This states: “Any driver whose car stops on the track during the qualifying session or the sprint qualifying will not be permitted to take any further part in that session.”

Aston Martin and Ferrari were represented at a hearing between the stewards and race control, plus FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis who requested to attend but did not participate. The stewards disclosed that ‘other team managers’ were present in the hearing, but did not outline which other teams were represented.

While Aston Martin argued the rules showed Sainz should not have been allowed to continue in the session, Ferrari claimed past practice showed Sainz should have been allowed to continue in qualifying.

The stewards agreed with the latter. “Taking into account the numerous examples where cars had stopped for different lengths of time and were permitted to restart and continue to participate in the session concerned, we considered that the decision taken by race control was not inconsistent with past practice nor in breach of article 39.6.”

“We considered that even if the plain wording of article 39.6 warranted a more stark conclusion, the consistent practice in the sport to date did not warrant a setting aside of the discretion exercised by race control by us as stewards,” they added.

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