Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz have avoided penalties for their huge crash at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after stewards rules that neither driver was predominantly to blame.
The decision, released hours after the end of the race, came despite Perez’s assertion that Sainz deserved a penalty for causing a crash the Mexican said was a “disaster” for Red Bull’s championship ambitions.
On the penultimate lap of Sunday’s enthralling race, Sainz – after initially passing Perez at Turn 1 as he was pushed to the outside by the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in a battle for second – seemed to move left on the straight after Turn 2 towards the Red Bull, with the two cars then dramatically tangling into the barriers.
But after both drivers reported to the stewards, they decided to impose no penalties – stating that neither Sainz or Perez “steered erratically”..
The document added that Sainz ‘moved towards a car he had limited vision of’ while Perez ‘could have done more to avoid a car he had a better view of.’
The collision helped George Russell, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen all gain two places into third, fourth and fifth, while McLaren now hold a 20-point lead over Red Bull in the constructors’ standings.
Perez: Sainz was to blame | ‘It’s a disaster for Red Bull’
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 before the stewards’ decision, Perez was adamant Sainz was at fault.
“It’s a real shame that it happened,” he said. “It’s a disaster for the championships, for both of us to end our weekend like this when we definitely had a lot more on the table, it’s a bit of a disaster.
“In my opinion Carlos moved too quickly to follow the tow from Charles. It was the wrong time, wrong moment and it resulted in a huge shunt.”
Sunday marks the first time since 2022’s Spanish Grand Prix that Red Bull haven’t led the constructors’ standings.
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Karun Chandhok analyses the podium costing-crash between Sainz and Perez to see who was to blame
Team boss Christian Horner said the crash cost Red Bull “vital points” in the Constructors’ Championship while the Sky Sports F1 pundits also felt Sainz was to blame.
“Unfortunately I think he has to take more of the blame there because he did move across,” said Karun Chandhok, with Jacques Villeneuve stating: “The regulations say you cannot crowd, and Sainz was crowding moving across the track while Perez was next to him.”
The Ferrari driver, however, didn’t ever expect to be penalised.
“Honestly, a very unfortunate ending,” he said. “First of all I’m glad Checo and I are OK. I drove a solid race, very quick out there and the fastest man on track in the last 20 laps.
“Unfortunately after passing Checo into Turn 1 and after fighting Charles into Turn 2 there was a very unexpected contact exiting Turn 2 that honestly I still don’t understand how it happened.
“I didn’t do any erratic manoeuvres on Checo, any aggressive moving on Checo and I don’t understand still. We collided and that was the end.
“You never know what will happen but this time I’m 100 per cent sure I didn’t do anything wrong or anything aggressive.”
Horner: Perez could have won race in Baku
Before the crash with Sainz, Perez was regularly on Piastri and Leclerc’s tail in what was a genuine three-driver battle for the win; the Mexican finding form as the more impressive Red Bull over the weekend.
And it could have been even better, with Piastri only emerging ahead of Perez after the pit stops thanks to some team work from Norris – holding up Perez while his team-mate pitted.
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Take a look at unseen footage of Perez confronting Sainz following their dramatic penultimate lap crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
“Unfortunately, Checo lost quite a bit of time on his out laps behind Alex Albon then Lando cost him dearly, which gave Oscar track position,” said Horner. “Without that, he would have won the race today.
“One of those things that is heart-breaking for him and the team after so much effort, to lose a podium in the last laps of the race.”
Norris, who passed Verstappen late on to cut the title lead to 59 points with seven Grands Prix remaining, said: “It allowed Oscar to stay ahead and potentially get the win today. I’m happy I helped him out and played a small part in that.
“I don’t think it cost me, but it changed the outcome for Oscar and that was the most important thing, that was my job today, to help Oscar out. To come out with a first and a fourth was perfect.”
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