Sainz avoids grid penalty after stewards investigation

Carlos Sainz has retained his ninth-place starting position for the Hungarian Grand Prix after the stewards opted not to penalise him following an incident with Antonio Giovinazzi during qualifying.

The Spaniard was accused of impeding Giovinazzi during Q1, with the Alfa Romeo driver being forced to abort his timed lap after catching a slow-moving Sainz on the racing line.

The stewards state that Sainz could not see the first blue flag that was shown at marshal post 14 and didn't have enough time to react to the next flag at the following post.

A statement from the stewards reads: “Giovinazzi was on a timed lap, when approaching turn 6, where Sainz was on the racing line and on an in lap. As a result, Giovinazzi had to abort the lap.

“Blue flags were displayed at marshal posts 14 and 15, however there was no blue light panel displayed.

“The Stewards accepted that Sainz could not see the first blue flag shown and did not have enough time to react to the second blue flag due to his position on the track.

“The team are reminded, that it is the team’s responsibility to give appropriate radio warning when another driver is approaching from behind on a timed lap.

“It will not be accepted as an excuse, that the driver received no radio warning. In these particular circumstances however, the Stewards consider that had there been a radio warning, there was no other opportunity for the driver to react.”

Sainz lines up on the starting grid behind teammate Lando Norris and is set to use the soft compound for his first stint, provided rain doesn't force him onto the intermediate or wet tyre.