Carlos Sainz remarked that his clash with Lewis Hamilton was predictable since the British driver “moved” as Sainz attempted to overtake him at Turn 17 during the Miami Grand Prix.
In a late-race maneuver, Ferrari’s strategy involving a swap between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc—who initially ceded sixth position back to his teammate—put Sainz right behind Hamilton as they approached the final lap at the Miami Autodrome.
Carlos Sainz: Following the Rule Book
Sainz made a bold late-braking attempt to overtake Hamilton into Turn 17, coinciding with Hamilton’s turn into the corner. The two cars made contact but managed to finish with Hamilton in seventh and Sainz in eighth.
Sainz expressed his frustrations over the radio, stating, “He moved a bit under braking there,” maintaining that Hamilton shifted as soon as he noticed the Spaniard diving inside. Sainz noted that such contact is “quite typical” in racing.
“I think he was just trying to defend effectively,” Sainz explained. “He reacted as soon as he saw me diving, which led to the contact. If you strictly adhere to the rule book, he shouldn’t have moved as much, but that’s how racing works on the last lap.”
However, the race stewards concluded that both drivers contributed to the incident, noting that neither would face repercussions. Their report stated that Sainz’s attempt did not position him sufficiently for the racing line, while Hamilton turned into the corner earlier than usual.
The incident marked a challenging race for Sainz, who started on used tires and had earlier damaged his car in a collision with teammate Alex Albon. While Albon finished in fifth, Sainz ended up in seventh, though Williams celebrated their third double points finish in six races.
Sainz emphasized the team’s competitive spirit, stating that with new tires and no damage, he believed he could have contended for a higher finish. Currently, Williams sits fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, a position they haven’t held since 2017, and are enhancing their FW47 for better performance.
