Carlos Sainz penalized for impeding Lewis Hamilton in qualifying

Carlos Sainz had warned at the start of the season: he expected to suffer during the first weekends of the year against Alex Albon, who has more experience at Williams and who therefore knows the car better. The Spaniard was right and is suffering the comparison with his teammate for the moment.

When the Thai offered himself a new Q3, the Madrilenian was left behind in Q2 with the 12th fastest time. A performance far from bad given the tiny gaps, but Carlos Sainz will ultimately start from even further back on the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday morning (start at 7am, French time). The No. 55 received a three-place grid penalty for obstructing Lewis Hamilton in Q2.

As the Briton was about to set off on a fast lap, he came across the Spaniard, who was idling at the first corner. The driver Ferrari was forced to lift his foot to avoid Sainz's Williams, who made absolutely no move to move out of the way. The driver who drove Hamilton's car last season was not informed by his team that another car was coming at full speed behind him, but that did not prevent him from being penalized: he will drop three places on the grid.

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Carlos Sainz will therefore start the Japanese Grand Prix 15th, just behind the local hero, Yuki tsunoda, eliminated in Q2 on his debut with Red Bull. For his part, Lewis Hamilton is 8th on the grid, a little disappointment while his teammate Charles Leclerc managed to qualify in the second row (4th).

As a reminder, pole position went to Max Verstappen, who had not set the fastest time in a qualifying session for 16 races. You had to go back to the Austrian Grand Prix to find a trace of a pole for the four-time world champion, who had clashed with Lando Norris during the race, handing victory to George Russell. A scenario set to repeat itself on Sunday with the two rivals once again teaming up on the front row?