After incurring a five-second penalty late in the chaotic 2023 Australian GP, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz dropped from fourth to 12th and was furious with the stewards’ decision.
In late drama at Albert Park, there were two red flags. The first saw Sainz clip the back of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin which sent his fellow Spaniard spinning out. That plus, a number of other incidents caused a second red flag with just one lap remaining.
Then, during stoppage and as the FIA were deciding how to end the race, Sainz was slapped with a five-second penalty for his collision with Alonso.
“It’s the most unfair penalty I’ve seen in my life,” Sainz told the media after the race.
“So before talking to you and saying really bad stuff, and bad words, I prefer to go back to the stewards and have a conversation and maybe I can come back and talk to you.
“I honestly cannot. I cannot do it, I think it’s too unfair.”
Out of the points
That drop to 12th meant Sainz finished the 2023 Australian GP out of the points, and ultimately left Ferrari rueing another poor race after Charles Leclerc retired at Turn 1.
The 2022 race winner got into a collision with Lance Stroll and ended up in the gravel trap with resulted in a retirement and more misery for Ferrari.
