The FIA did not show much mercy to Carlos Sainz for failing to show up for the national anthem on time before the Japanese Grand Prix despite the clear reason for his tardiness
Carlos Sainz has been fined for his late arrival for the national anthem ceremony before the Japanese Grand Prix. That’s despite the Spaniard requiring medical treatment having experienced discomfort before the race, which is what caused him to be late.
A strict schedule is in place before any Formula 1 race which requires drivers to be in certain places at a specific time. One of those is the playing of the national anthem of the country which his hosting that event, at which all drivers must be in attendance.
But at Suzuka on Sunday, Sainz was a late arrival and it did not go unnoticed. The matter was reported to the stewards and both he and his Williams team have been fined as punishment for his tardiness.
In the meeting to discuss the matter, though, it was made clear to the stewards that Sainz had a good reason for running late. A doctor treated the 30-year-old for discomfort in his stomach and was present to confirm why the driver was not present at the required time.
Though that was accepted as a mitigating factor, the stewards still felt it was necessary to fine driver and team. Instead of the £51,000 fine that would usually be given to a driver who is late for the national anthem, Sainz’s payable amount was reduced to £17,000 – half of which is suspended for a year.
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Explaining the outcome, the stewards said: “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.
“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.
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“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.”
Sainz started the race 15th on the grid having been handed a three-place penalty for impeding Lewis Hamilton during qualifying. He made some progress but was unable to reach the points-paying positions and crossed the line in 12th.
He said: “Unfortunately, as expected, it was a difficult race stuck in traffic after a costly Saturday, with some details to polish in qualifying and then the penalty. On a positive note, I think the pace was there today. I was comfortable with the car, managed to do some good overtakes and overall learnt a lot out there on track.
“Now, the focus is to carry the positive feeling of this weekend on to the next GPs and build from here. Once I start putting everything together, I know better results will come. On to Bahrain.”
