Williams driver Carlos Sainz has been handed a reprimand by the FIA stewards following an investigation at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Sainz was summoned to the stewards following an incident in FP1, which saw the Spaniard cross the white line at pit entry.
Carlos Sainz reprimanded by FIA stewards after Belgian Grand Prix breach
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Onboard footage showed Sainz entering the pit lane before cutting across the painted run-off area to rejoin the track.
The stewards have confirmed that Sainz has been given a reprimand – his first of the F1 2026 season – following the breach.
Drivers are allowed four reprimands across a given season before incurring an automatic 10-place grid penalty for a fifth reprimand.
Carlos Sainz vs Alex Albon: Williams head-to-head stats for F1 2026 season
F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying records between teammates
F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates
The stewards revealed that Sainz had been told to enter the pit lane before receiving a “very late” instruction to stay out to recharge the battery.
The verdict read: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 55 (Carlos Sainz), team representative and reviewed in-car video evidence.
“Item 15.2 of the Race Director’s Event Notes provides that any driver passing to the right-hand side of the bollard at safety car line 1 will be considered as entering the pit lane for the purposes of Appendix L, Chapter IV Article 4 of the International Sporting Code which provides that any car entering the pit lane must not cross a painted line separating cars entering the pit lane from cars on the track.
“Car 55 passed to the right-hand side of the bollard at safety car line 1 and immediately thereafter turned left across the line and rejoined the track.
“Team radio confirmed that the driver had been given an instruction from his engineer to enter the pit lane and, having committed to do so by passing to the right of the bollard, was given a counter-instruction to return to the track to recharge energy.
“In complying with that instruction, the driver breached Appendix L, Chapter IV Article 4 because the Event Notes deemed him to have entered the pit lane.
“The driver acknowledged the breach.
“He said he received a very late call from his engineer and realised that if he didn’t rejoin the track his energy level would be so depleted it would mean he would lose laps regenerating after he changed to a soft tyre.
“He said that he checked his mirrors before rejoining the track and there was no traffic coming. Therefore what he did was not dangerous.
“While the Stewards were satisfied that in this instance what occurred was not dangerous, the reason for the prohibition on the crossing of the line at pit entry is to prevent the possibility of an inherently dangerous situation.
“While we have some sympathy for the driver receiving a very late instruction from his engineer, on the driver’s own admission the rule was breached in order to ensure that the driver did not suffer a sporting disadvantage from having entered the pit lane with a low energy level.
“The Stewards therefore determined to impose a reprimand on the driver.”
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read next: Max Verstappen had the perfect chance to end F1 rumours – but chose not to
Originally published by Planet F1 —
Read Original Article