Carlos Sainz has been fined £850 (€1,000) for speeding in the pit lane during final practice at the Japanese Grand Prix. The Williams driver recorded a speed of 93.7 km/h, exceeding the 80 km/h limit, breaching Article 15 of the sporting regulations.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri were summoned to the stewards for overtaking cars in the pit lane exit on their way to the practice start area. Both drivers, along with their respective teams, received official warnings, following similar incidents involving Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll on Friday.
The stewards noted that Verstappen performed a genuine practice start and rejoined after all cars in the fast lane had passed. However, they emphasised that the warnings should not be taken as a precedent, and future breaches may result in sporting penalties.
Sainz's fine adds to a difficult start to the weekend for the Spaniard, who also missed his garage during first practice, forcing an extra lap. Despite expectations that he would lead Williams' charge, teammate Alex Albon has outperformed him, scoring 16 points to Sainz's one, which came after disqualifications in Shanghai.
