Formula 1 Japanese GP
Sainz hit with Japanese GP grid drop for impeding Hamilton in qualifying
Sainz moves back from 12th to 15th on the Japanese Grand Prix starting grid
Filip Cleeren
Edited: Apr 5, 2025, 12:51 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Williams driver Carlos Sainz has received a three-place grid penalty for Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix for impeding Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in qualifying.
Arriving at high speed into Turn 1 for his final flying lap in Q2, Hamilton encountered Sainz in the middle of the road, having to abort his lap and take avoiding action into the runoff area.
Sainz said he had no warning that Hamilton, the driver who replaced him at Ferrari this season, was approaching fast and was caught by surprise.
The FIA's race stewards sympathised with the Spaniard but, as it is the responsibility of the team to warn its drivers of traffic, it has handed him the standard three-place grid penalty.
That penalty drops Sainz from 12th to 15th on the grid, having narrowly missed the cut to make it into Q3.
"Car 55 [Sainz] was on an in-lap after having completed a push lap when Car 44 [Hamilton] was starting its push lap, and Car 44 had to move off track to avoid Car 55 in Turn 1," the stewards wrote in their verdict.
"The driver of Car 55 stated that he did not have any warning from the team, of the approach of Car 44 on a push lap.
"He stated that he was caught completely by surprise and, because of the approach speed of Car 44, and the angle of his car, he could not see Car 44 in his mirrors.
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
"However, notwithstanding the above, the team had ample warning that Car 44 was on an out-lap whilst Car 55 was on its push lap.
"Also, more than 8 seconds elapsed from when it was obvious Car 44 was not going into the pits, and hence was going to start a push lap, and when Car 55 could have taken appropriate action if the driver had been warned by the team.
"It is noted that the standard penalty guideline for this offence during qualifying, irrespective of whether it was the fault of the driver or the team, is a three grid position penalty, and therefore the stewards find that the standard penalty should be applied."
Sainz's team-mate Alex Albon did advance to Q3 to claim ninth for Williams as it fights Racing Bulls at the front of the midfield.
Photos from Japanese GP - Practice & Qualifying
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Japanese Grand Prix - Saturday
Formula 1
66
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Car back to Norris' liking as "small margin" costs him Japanese GP pole
Next article Red Bull “turned the car upside down” to help Verstappen deliver "best lap"
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Filip Cleeren
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
The impressive stats underpinning Liam Lawson's career-saving F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 d
The impressive stats underpinning Liam Lawson's career-saving F1 season
More from
Carlos Sainz
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 d
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1 25 d
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
More from
Williams
Franco Colapinto, George Russell to sit out FP1 at F1 Mexico GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
16 d
Franco Colapinto, George Russell to sit out FP1 at F1 Mexico GP
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
18 d
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Latest news
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
1 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
3 h
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe