Las Vegas GP: Max Verstappen hits out over Carlos Sainz's 'very harsh' grid penalty after drain damage (2024)

Max Verstappen has called for an F1 rule change after labelling the grid penalty given to Carlos Sainz for Sunday's Las Vegas GP "very harsh", in the wake of the major damage caused to the Ferrari by a loose circuit drain cover.

And following suggestions that other teams may have challenged the matter had stewards not imposed a penalty in line with the regulations, the world champion also said rivals should be excluded from having any say on such issues as "in this political environment we are in of course every team thinks about themselves".

In what a disbelieving Sainz has described as "one of the most unfair penalties that I have ever seen", Ferrari's request for special dispensation to avoid a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding permitted power unit part changes was rejected, despite the freak circ*mstances of what had happened in the Practice One incident.

• When to watch Sunday's Las Vegas Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1
• Qualifying report: Charles Leclerc wins pole fight, Lewis Hamilton, McLarens out early
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One of the street circuit's water valve cover failed when the Ferrari went over it at high-speed, putting a big hole in the car's chassis and damaging three separate elements of the Ferrari's hybrid power unit. Ferrari had to change all the parts but picked up a penalty for a new engine battery as it took them beyond the limit for what teams are allowed to use in one season.

Stewards said that while they would have liked to grant the team dispensation, they were hamstrung by the sport's regulations and so had no choice but to impose the mandatory grid drop for taking on Sainz.

As a result, Sainz's second-place result in Saturday's qualifying session turns into a 12th-place starting position on Sunday's race grid.

Although Verstappen may be the first driver to directly benefit from his Ferrari rival's demotion, given he qualified third, the Dutchman expressed his disapproval about what happened to Sainz.

"The rules have to change for that," said Verstappen, sitting alongside the Ferrari drivers in the post-qualifying press conference.

"It's the same if you get taken out and have a big accident. You can lose parts of engine, energy store, all these kind of things.

"So, first of all, that needs to change and these things can be taken into consideration that you can take a free penalty or not, it will not be counted.

"Besides, I think teams should not be allowed to have a say in these kind of things because for sure they are going to vote against that. I do think it's very harsh on Carlos but in this political environment we are in of course every team thinks about themselves and they are going to say 'no, he has to take the penalty'.

'Sad. Frustrated. Disappointed' | Sainz reflects on 'unfair' penalty.

On F1's big new showpiece weekend where Ferrari, on single-lap pace at least, look to have the quickest car, Sainz's feeling of injustice about his penalty remained undimmed after qualifying.

Despite the frustration of the impeding grid drop, the Spaniard had driven well in qualifying and come within 0.044s of beating team-mate Charles Leclerc to the fastest time around the fast Las Vegas Strip Circuit.

"Sad, frustrated, disappointed," Sainz replied when asked by Sky Sports F1 how he felt about the sanction.

"At the same time not very surprised because this shows that this sport sometimes no one can understand it. I think I am paying tomorrow one of the most unfair penalties that I have ever seen.

"Disappointed that the governing body doesn't have enough power to overrule certain teams, certain situations like we have here and that I am going to be paying a penalty that I think no one agrees with.

"I would love to be fighting for the win but for an unbelievable penalty I'm going to be fighting on a comeback from 12th that I'm going to do everything I can to come back to the top."

He made clear he had "all the motivation all the options open" on Sunday to produce a strong recovery race.

When to watch Sunday's Las Vegas GP live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase

Sunday November 19

• 4:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Las Vegas GP build-up (also on Sky Showcase)
• 6am: THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX (also on Sky Showcase)
• 8am: Chequered Flag: Las Vegas GP reaction (also on Sky Showcase)
• 9am: Ted's Notebook (also on Sky Showcase)

Watch the whole Las Vegas GP weekend live on Sky Sports F1 with lights out on Sunday at 6am. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW