Carlos Sainz has landed himself in potential trouble with Formula 1’s governing body once again—this time for swearing in an official news conference while criticising a fine he received at last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
The Williams driver was fined €10,000 (£8,648), half of which was suspended, after he arrived late for the Japanese national anthem on the grid in Suzuka. Sainz explained that his lateness was due to an urgent bathroom trip caused by stomach issues.
“I’m the biggest supporter of punctuality,” Sainz said on Thursday during media day at the Bahrain Grand Prix. “I put my hand up and said, ‘I’m late. I’m sorry for that.’ But to be five seconds late and pay €10,000? It’s out of the question.”
However, the 29-year-old may face additional sanctions after concluding his remarks with: “But yeah, I don’t know if I’m going to get another fine for saying this, but s*** happens.”
Sainz’s outburst comes amid growing unrest among drivers over recent FIA decisions. The sport’s rules were recently updated to formalise penalties for inappropriate language, a move prompted by Max Verstappen’s outburst in Singapore last year, which resulted in community service.
Sainz, who also serves as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), has previously voiced opposition to fines for swearing. His colleague and fellow GPDA director George Russell, of Mercedes, also weighed in, quipping, “It’s a pretty expensive poo.”
Russell didn’t stop there, using the opportunity to criticise the FIA’s leadership amid the recent resignation of Robert Reid, the federation’s deputy president for sport, who stepped down citing “standards breakdowns” within the organisation.
“We’ve been talking about this for six months now,” Russell said. “It doesn’t make sense to be fighting about these things—we just want collaboration.”
Sainz, clearly frustrated, added: “I hope someone tells me where this €10K goes. If it went to a good cause, I’d feel better. But right now, it’s disappointing.”
With the second race of the season set to take place in Bahrain this weekend, all eyes will be on the FIA’s response to yet another flashpoint between drivers and the sport’s governing body.
