Carlos Sainz concluded his qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix in seventh position. During the qualifying session, he made a mistake by driving too close to the gravel before turn 1, resulting in minor damage to his suspension and front wing. As a result, he spun and hit the wall sideways, leaving him stranded on the track for a brief period of time.
However, after a few minutes, with the assistance of the MGUK, Carlos Sainz managed to restart his engine and return to the pit box for repairs. Despite the setback, he was able to progress to Q3 and secure seventh place in the final qualifying round. Subsequently, Aston Martin lodged a protest against Sainz and the Ferrari team, which has been acknowledged by the FIA.
Following his crash during qualifying, Carlos Sainz remained stationary in his SF-24 for a few minutes before he was able to resume. According to the regulations, any driver whose car comes to a halt on the track during qualifying or the sprint qualifying session shootout is not allowed to continue participating in that session. Aston Martin’s protest is based on the belief that Sainz violated Article 39.6, which prohibits drivers from continuing in qualifying after stopping on the track. The FIA’s decision on this matter is yet to be determined.
While Aston Martin has filed a complaint against Carlos Sainz for his actions during qualifying in Shanghai, the driver himself provided a detailed explanation of the crash after the event. The sudden nature of the crash surprised everyone, including the commentators who were taken aback by Sainz’s collision with the barriers.
After the race, Carlos Sainz admitted to making a simple mistake by hitting the inside kerb too forcefully, causing him to veer off course and touch the gravel on the exit, resulting in a spin. Just before impact, he managed to slightly turn the wheel, allowing for a better angle of collision. Sainz attributed the crash to excessive throttle usage prior to the incident and the momentary loss of control when his wheel touched the gravel before turn 1. Following his recovery, Carlos Sainz qualified behind his teammate and will undoubtedly be eager to make a comeback in tomorrow’s 53-lap Chinese Grand Prix.