Carlos Sainz gets €25,000 fine for crossing live F1 track after crash

Carlos Sainz has been handed a huge fine for crossing a live F1 track after he crashed out of qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver lost control of his car and slammed rear-first into the barriers at the high-speed final corner of the Marina Bay Street Circuit during his first run of Q3.

Sainz emerged unscathed from his wrecked Ferrari and proceeded to walk across the track to get back to the pits.

He has been hit with a €25,000 fine, half of which is suspended for the remainder of the season on the condition no further breaches occur.

“After crashing during Q3 which caused a red flag, Carlos Sainz crossed the track and then crossed the pit entry road,” the stewards’ verdict read. “The Stewards examined video, questioned the marshals and heard from the driver that he crossed without first obtaining permission from a Marshal. The regulations are explicit that this is not permitted and is a potentially very dangerous situation. Further, this was reinforced by the Race Director in a previous drivers’ meeting.”

“The Stewards accept that Sainz thought that the track was clear because he was after the pit entry and there was a red flag. However, there were still five cars circulating and it was possible that one may make a mistake and not enter the pit lane, or may have entered the pit lane faster than Sainz thought. Further, there were potentially other vehicles entering the track that the driver had no knowledge of.

“The Stewards compared this to other penalties that have been given recently, which were given when the track was in race conditions, but under safety car and consider that this is a somewhat less severe case, because of the red flag. Further, the driver’s idea that because he was beyond the pit entry is another mitigating circumstance. But in light of the explicit regulation reinforced in prior drivers’ meetings the Stewards order the fine which is lower than previous penalties and order half to be suspended for the remainder of the 2024 season, in light of the mitigating circumstances.”

Lewis Hamilton was fined €50,000 - half of which was suspended - and given a reprimand for crossing a live track at last year's Qatar Grand Prix. 

Sainz will start Sunday’s grand prix no higher than 10th on the grid, with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc only ninth.