Ferrari star Carlos Sainz has been handed a five-second time penalty, changing the result of the Miami Grand Prix overnight.
Sainz had crossed the line in fourth place, behind winner Lando Norris, championship leader Max Verstappen and team-mate Charles Leclerc. But he was placed under investigation by the stewards after a collision with Oscar Piastri.
The Spaniard had been attempting to overtake Piastri in Turn 17 of the latter stages of Sunday's race. But he slightly lost the rear of his Ferrari car and made contact with the Australian's McLaren.
Piastri was forced to make a pit stop having damaged his front wing, dropping him down to 13th place. In response, the stewards have acted to penalise Sainz, dropping him down to fifth, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez promoted into fourth.
The Stewards released their decision overnight, having received a report from the race director and heard from both drivers. They opted to hand Sainz a five-second time penalty as well as one penalty point on his license.
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In their reasoning for the decision, the Stewards insisted 'it was clear to us that Car 55 was to blame for the collision'. They did reveal though that the collision likely would not have happened had Sainz not slightly lost control.
"In the overtake attempt, Car 55 [Sainz] braked late, missed the apex and in the process lost the rear, with the resulting collision. Although Car 81 [Piastri] was trying to turn in to counter the overtaking attempt, Car 81 gave sufficient room to Car 55," the Stewards wrote in their reasoning.
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Carlos Sainz was handed a five-second time penalty for crashing into Oscar Piastri (Jared C. Tilton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)"In the circumstances, we find Car 55 to be predominantly to blame for the collision. In this case, we took into account, as mitigating factors, the fact that but for the slight loss of control of the rear by Car 55, the collision would likely not have happened.
"It would have been hard but good racing. The standard penalty for a collision is 10 seconds with 2 penalty points. In light of the mitigating circumstances, we therefore impose a 5 second time penalty with 1 penalty point.
"Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits."
While Sainz was battling with Piastri, the Australian's team-mate Norris was surging to his first-ever race win. Norris has previously started 109 races without finishing first, but pipped Verstappen to finally end his drought.
The Englishman jumped when he made his pit stop under a safety car at about half distance, with Verstappen unable to keep pace. The Dutchman brought out a virtual safety car after hitting a bollard, but Norris was able to race away for his maiden win.
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