F1 penalties and recurring issues: Carlos Sainz calls for a permanent solution. Carlos Sainz urges Formula 1 to introduce permanent stewards after the Zandvoort penalty review.

Carlos Sainz has renewed his call for permanent stewards in Formula 1 following the review of his Zandvoort penalty, aiming to ensure greater consistency in race decisions. The Spanish driver spoke out after the annulment of two penalty points from his superlicense as part of the Right of Review following the Dutch Grand Prix, emphasizing the need for a more coherent system.

At Zandvoort, Carlos Sainz received a 10-second race penalty and two points on his superlicense for contact with Liam Lawson at the first corner. The penalty was considered excessive by the Madrid-born driver, and thanks to a review request submitted by Williams, the original panel of stewards reconvened after Monza and accepted part of the appeal. While the license points were removed, the in-race penalty could not be reversed as it had already been served.

How to manage penalties in F1: Sainz’s solution

Carlos Sainz took the opportunity to revisit a topic that has long divided the paddock and the FIA. “F1 and the FIA agree that this should be the way forward: at least two permanent stewards and one rotating steward for training purposes,” he explained to the media in Baku.

The former Ferrari driver was also clear on the financial aspect: “We cannot debate who pays the salaries. In a sport with so much money, it’s ridiculous to think there isn’t room to cover these costs. There are resources to pay everyone, so there will also be for permanent stewards.”

According to Carlos Sainz, stability would help drivers better understand the criteria for penalties: “If I knew the referee was the same at every race, I could learn over time how they judge an incident. With different panels, it’s very difficult to understand whether a penalty will come or not.”

The precedent and Carlos Sainz’s frustration

This is not the first time Carlos Sainz has been involved in a Right of Review. At the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, the Spanish driver requested a review of a five-second penalty received for contact with Fernando Alonso, but on that occasion the FIA rejected the appeal.

The Madrid-born driver highlighted how different the Zandvoort case was. “After the race, I was very angry. When we submitted the new evidence, it was all so obvious that the case could not remain closed. They were open to discussion, and this allowed the mistake to be corrected.”

Carlos Sainz remains one of the strongest advocates for structural changes in the judgment process. For the Williams driver, the credibility of Formula 1 depends on consistency in decisions, and he believes it is time to take a step forward.