FORMULA ONE star Carlos Sainz has been hit with a £17,000 fine by the FIA for an unusual reason.
The Williams driver was hit with the fine by the FIA for a breach of pre-race procedure despite suffering a medical issue at the Japanese Grand Prix.
GettyCarlos Sainz was hit with a £17,000 fine for a breach of race procedure[/caption]
RexThe Williams driver missed the Japanese national anthem before the race with a stomach issue[/caption]
F1 drivers are expected to follow a strict schedule over the course of the weekend, including observing the host countries national anthem prior to the race start.
But Sainz, 30, was suffering with a stomach issue before the race which caused him to miss the national anthem scheduled for 1.44pm local time.
A FIA statement confirmed the Spanish ace was given medication for the problem which delayed his appearance.
And it was for this reason that the fine was cut down from £51,000 (€60,000) to £17,000 (€20,000), with £8,500 (€10,000) suspended.
A statement from the motorsport governing body said: “The Driver Carlos Sainz is fined €20,000 of which €10,000 is suspended for a period of 12 months subject to there being no further breach of the above Article 19.4.b) during that period.
“The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 55 (Carlos Sainz), the team representative and Dr Messina of Med-Ex, and reviewed video evidence.
“The Driver arrived at the National Anthem Position after the Anthem had commenced.
“During the Drivers’ Briefing on Friday all drivers were reminded of the requirement to be in position by the time prescribed in the regulations and the need to show respect for the host country’s Anthem.
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“It is noted that the Penalty Guidelines prescribed in Appendix B of the FIA International Sporting Code, list a penalty for this offence, of €60,000.
“However in mitigation, the Driver stated that just prior to the Anthem, he experienced discomfort due a stomach issue which delayed his appearance on the grid.
“This was verified by Dr Messina of Med-Ex who confirmed the issue and stated he had provided appropriate medication for the Driver.
“Notwithstanding the above, displaying respect for the National Anthem is a high priority and all parties need to consider every eventuality in planning to be in position for the Anthem by the required time.
“Hence a penalty similar to that imposed for a similar breach in Canada in 2024, is imposed.”
Sainz finished the race down in 14th place, leaving him without points for a Sunday race with his new team.
Williams’ team-mate Alex Albon finished in P9 for the second race weekend in a row to add to his P5 finish at the season opener in Australia.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen made history by becoming the first driver to win at Suzuka four times in a row as he finished ahead of McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Elsewhere, Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli broke two of Verstappen’s records as he became both the youngest race leader in F1 history and youngest ever driver to record a fastest lap.
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