Carlos Sainz admits Ferrari driver is ‘still angry’ as F1’s behaviour questioned

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Carlos Sainz admits that the Ferrari driver is ‘still angry’ about the water valve cover that destroyed his car at the Las Vegas GP and how Formula 1 handled the incident.

F1 made its big return to Sin City in November for the series’ first race in Nevada since 1982. But its debut race on the Strip started on poor foundations when a water valve cover ruined the floor of Sainz’s car in FP1. It broke free within eight minutes of the first practice session.

The downforce generated by Formula 1 machinery dislodged the water valve cover before it busted through the floor of Sainz’s SF-23. Ferrari had to replace the battery, ICE and control electronics in his car, which even also forced the 29-year-old to have a 10-place grid penalty.

Carlos Sainz is ‘still angry’ about the water valve cover at the Las Vegas GP

Ferrari’s team principal Frederic Vasseur branded it ‘unacceptable’ for a water valve cover to become dislodged and damage a car. McLaren CEO Zak Brown also noted that it was ‘unfair’ for Sainz to take a grid penalty at the Las Vegas GP due to an incident that the circuit made.

But the FIA’s rulebook for Formula 1 does not include measures for the stewards to overlook a penalty under force majeure. So, Sainz fell down the grid to P12 after qualifying only 0.044 seconds off pole position. He ended Q3 in second behind Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc.

Carlos Sainz regrets the consequences of the water valve cover for Ferrari

Starting the Las Vegas GP in the middle of the grid cost Sainz again once the race started, as well. He slipped further down the pack after understeering into Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton into Turn 1. Ferrari’s strategy would, ultimately, help Sainz to finish the Las Vegas GP in sixth.

But Sainz is ‘still angry’ about his FP1 incident at the Las Vegas GP and how Formula 1 dealt with the water valve cover destroying his Ferrari. The Madrid native also regrets the further consequences of the incident on his and the Scuderia’s year after missing out on big points.

“I am still angry about what happened and affected my championship and that of Ferrari,” Sainz said, via quotes by Marca. “But even if you make a protest you never win it, so there it goes. How F1 behaved with me and with Ferrari, I don’t see a solution to the problem.

“Maybe without that break, the end of the season would have been different. With another performance in Abu Dhabi, it was an unfortunate ending and I don’t want it to stain a good season for me.”

Mercedes pipped Ferrari to finish second in the constructors’ championship by three points after the final race in Abu Dhabi. The Scuderia may have finished ahead of the Silver Arrows without Sainz’s incident at the Las Vegas GP, though, as Leclerc finished that race in second.