Carlos Sainz can’t be having the easiest Formula One season, but he caught a welcome respite on Friday. The Williams driver was let off with a substantial $45,370 fine for swearing during a press conference when describing an earlier punishment due to a medical issue.
The mishap happened during the Bahrain Grand Prix press conference, where Carlos Sainz uttered a cuss word while talking about his late arrival to the pre-race national anthem at the Japanese Grand Prix. He had been penalized $22,200 for being late, although the fine was later halved to $11,000 following medical confirmation of a stomach complaint.
Carlos Sainz Speaks Out on Toilet Break and Fine
Addressing the press, Sainz candidly said, “I don’t know if I’m going to get another fine for saying this, but s**t happens. It’s the way it is. It’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Before the slip, he had explained his position on punctuality, declaring, “I’m the biggest supporter of punctuality and being, in a way, a gentleman, being punctual to things, and especially a national anthem, with all the authorities there. So I was the first one to put my hand up and say: ‘I’m late. I’m sorry for that.’ At the same time, I was five seconds late. And to be five seconds late and have to pay $11,000 or whatever the fine is, for me, it is out of the question that we are having to pay these fines.”
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FIA Confirms Apology and Pending Compensation
In a Reuters report, it was established that FIA has confirmed that Sainz had apologized for using the term of abuse during the press conference. Additionally, the governing body chose not to send the incident to the stewards, saving him the hefty $45,370 fine. He will, nonetheless, be required to compensate in a yet-to-be-determined manner, as determined by the FIA.
Tough New Sanctions for Swearing in Place
Under new FIA regulations, swearing in press conferences carries harsh consequences: $45,384 for the first offence, $91,000 for the second, and $136,000 plus a one-month suspension and point deductions for a third.
Additional Grid Penalty in Japan on Carlos Sainz
Besides the fine drama, Sainz faced another setback in Japan. Stewards pushed him back from 12th to 15th on the grid for impeding Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton during Qualifying 2 at the Japanese Grand Prix.
In spite of the problems, Sainz’s honesty and responsibility appear to have procured him a reprieve from the FIA.
