The Las Vegas Grand Prix was the scene of a controversial episode that sparked discussion among fans and insiders: Carlos Sainz, on lap 27, entered the pit lane and then suddenly returned to the track, on orders from his team. A maneuver that made many turn up their noses, but which did not cost the Spanish driver any penalty. Why?
The regulation saves Sainz
The answer is found in the FIA International Sporting Code, Appendix L, Chapter 4, Article 4 (d). This rule states that “any part of a tyre entering the pit lane must not, in any direction, extend beyond the line painted on the track for the purpose of separating cars entering the pit lane from cars on the track, except in cases of force majeure.”
In Sainz's case, his tires did cross the separation line. However, he never entered the pit lane. The difference is subtle but crucial: if Sainz had crossed the line and made his pit stop, he would have been penalized. The rules, in this case, are clear and leave no room for interpretation. By not completing his pit lane entry, Sainz complied with the rules.
A costly communication error
Sainz's move was caused by an internal error in the Ferrari garage. Called for a pit stop, the Spaniard was stopped at the last moment by the team, who realized he was not ready for the pit stop. The confusion forced the driver to return to the track, losing precious seconds and compromising his battle with Lewis Hamilton for second place.
“Wake up, guys. Come on,” Sainz snapped over the radio, highlighting his frustration with a error which could have cost him dearly. In the end, however, the driver managed to save third place, guaranteeing important points for Ferrari in the fight with McLaren for the Constructors' title.
In this case, Sainz was not penalized, but similar situations have not had the same outcome on other occasions. In 2018, at the German Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton took the direction of the pit lane and then rejoined the track at the last moment, without receiving a penalty. The case of Kimi Raikkonen in Baku in 2016 was different: the Finn was penalized for having re-crossed the separation line, but in that case the local regulations imposed a specific rule, which was absent in Las Vegas.
A bitter result for Ferrari
Despite Sainz's podium and Ferrari's 27 points, the Las Vegas Grand Prix left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Maranello team. Tensions between Sainz and Leclerc and strategy management issues highlighted the Scuderia's difficulty in maximising the potential of the SF-24, especially on a weekend in which Mercedes proved to be clearly superior.
The race result further complicates McLaren's pursuit of the Constructors' Championship, but leaves hopes open for the final two rounds of the season.
Source: FormulaPassion
