Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz blamed each other after colliding during the penultimate lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But now, the FIA has reached its punishment verdict and has made a statement about the horror smash.
Red Bull’s Perez, who was aggressively hunting down Ferrari’s Sainz, found himself caught in a dramatic collision that sent both drivers crashing into the wall. The incident unfolded as Perez pushed to overtake Sainz on the straight ahead of the final lap.
READ MORE: Sainz and Perez CRASH in horror final lap wreck in Baku
The Ferrari driver appeared to drift into Perez’s path. With nowhere to go, Perez’s front wing clipped the rear of Sainz’s car, sending both vehicles hurtling into the barriers in a cloud of carbon fiber debris. Perez, who had been hoping to grab critical points in the race, was visibly frustrated as he climbed out of his wrecked Red Bull. Sainz, meanwhile, looked equally distraught as his Ferrari was crumpled against the wall.
Speaking to the media after the race, which saw success for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri who claimed his second career win, helping his team top the constructors. Giving their verdict on Perez and Sainz’s smash, the watchdog detailed a “slight” move.
“The Stewards checked the driving line of the drivers on pervious laps,” they said. “Sainz was on or close to his normal racing line, which forms a slight angle away from the right hand wall. From the exit to the point of contact he move approximately one car width further away from the wall.
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READ MORE: Oscar Piastri WINS chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix
“Perez moved approximately half a car width further away from the same wall, being more parallel to the right hand wall. It was thus apparent that while ahead, and having the right to drive his line, Sainz did move slightly towards a car that he had limited vision of.
“At the same time, there was nothing unusual about Perez’s line, but he could have done more to avoid the car that he had better view of. In conclusion, the Stewards deem this to be a racing incident with neither driver being predominantly at fault, and take no further action.”
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