For Carlos Sainz, the first Formula 1 weekend at the Madring was supposed to be a big home celebration, but he found himself at the center of criticism over the new track…
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The Williams driver had been closely associated with the new Madrid Grand Prix project, notably taking on the role of ambassador for a circuit intended to give the Spanish capital a place on the F1 calendar.
But after the first race held on the Madring, this association turned against him.
The new layout was already heavily criticized for its inability to promote overtaking, while Sainz also found himself involved in one of the most controversial incidents of the race.
“We have to criticize Carlos”
The first attack came from Nico Rosberg. The Sky Sports F1 commentator did not fail to humorously highlight the link between Sainz and a circuit that offered a particularly poor spectacle in terms of overtaking.
The 2016 world champion believes the layout will need to be changed before Formula 1 returns to Madrid next year. And since Sainz was the ambassador, Rosberg knew who to turn to.
“Sainz was the ambassador, so we have to criticize Carlos,” Rosberg said. “They need to review the layout for next year and create a good overtaking opportunity. We need that on this circuit because it is simply too difficult to overtake.”
While Rosberg’s remark was partly humorous, his assessment of the race quality was much more serious.
Impossible overtakes
Kimi Antonelli’s victory did not hide the significant difficulties drivers faced when trying to overtake, with the narrow sections of the Madring regularly preventing faster cars from finding a way through.
“It was quite shocking. Piastri behind Colapinto, for example. Piastri had new tires and couldn’t overtake him. Yet, he was so much faster. It’s just extremely difficult to overtake,” Rosberg added.
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An unflattering assessment for the organizers after the very first race held on their new circuit, but also for Sainz, whose image had been largely associated with the project.
The clash with Alonso
The criticisms regarding the circuit were not the only problem Sainz faced during this Grand Prix. The friendly rapport shown before the race between the two Spanish drivers quickly disappeared when Fernando Alonso and Sainz found themselves on track on lap 14.
While trying to take 17th place, Alonso tried to get alongside the Williams on the right approaching the chicane at turn 5. Sainz moved to the right to defend his position, pushing the Aston Martin towards the concrete barriers. The two cars made contact and Alonso lost the tip of his front wing.
Sainz had already been involved in an incident on the first lap with Yuki Tsunoda’s Racing Bulls near turn 1, but the stewards had then considered it a simple racing incident. This time, they judged that his defense against Alonso deserved a penalty and handed him a five-second penalty.
Alonso had not even waited for the stewards’ decision to express his displeasure on the radio: “At the start, he hit two people. Now, he’s pushing me against the wall under braking.”
Fair penalty?
Sainz, who ultimately had to retire due to damage sustained to his floor during his first-lap incident, did not particularly appreciate his compatriot’s complaints to race control.
“That’s the nature of this corner when you turn right and I think he complained on the radio, so he managed to get me a penalty, as always,” Sainz said after the race. “I think the nature of this corner will always lead to this kind of clash because there is only room for one car, not even two. And you can’t keep looking in your mirrors while you turn and go right-left because you have to look ahead. At some point, you have to focus on your own line.”
Alonso, who eventually finished 17th two laps behind the winner, felt the incident could have been perfectly avoided: “If the stewards consider the penalty sufficient, that’s fine with me. Neither of us finished in the points, but I think it was unnecessary. There was plenty of room on the left.”
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