Carlos Sainz can’t hide fury at Ferrari after Belgian Grand Prix error – “I warned you”

Carlos Sainz finished fourth at the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint race on Saturday afternoon but could’ve achieved a better result if it wasn’t for a mistake in the pits

Rain has caused chaos at the Belgian Grand Prix (

Image: Getty Images)

Carlos Sainz was furious with Ferrari after “chaos” in the pit lane caused him to suffer an under par result on Saturday afternoon.

Sainz was due to start the Belgian Grand Prix’s Sprint race third on the grid but there was a rolling start due to heavy rain at Spa. Several drivers – including Sainz – raced into the pit lane to change from extreme wet tyres to intermediates, which led to confusion.

Due to timing and a slice of bad luck, Sainz was stuck in his grid box for longer than expected. That cost the Ferrari driver, as several cars got in front of him before he exited the pit lane. Sainz had warned his Formula One colleagues that he was going to pit.

The Spaniard recovered to finish fourth but his frustration was clear from the team radio. “Good job, P4,” one engineer told Sainz, to which he replied: “Not good. I warned you.”

Max Verstappen won the Sprint race to pick up eight points and extend his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished in second, with Apline’s Pierre Gasly one place further back. Sainz’s team-mate Charles Leclerc finished in fifth.

Sainz also expressed his disappointment at Saturday’s result while speaking to the press. He said: “I think today was all about that pit stop. If you look at where everyone finished, it’s how that pit stop went with the chaos of the pit lane.

“For some reason, this time… I don’t know if it was the position in the pit lane, the traffic, or we were just too cautious. We had a slow bit stop. But we simply went back three or four positions and that was our race.”

Carlos Sainz wasn’t happy after Saturday’s Sprint race (

Image:

AP)

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Thankfully for Sainz and Ferrari, they can make up for Saturday’s disappointing result by winning Sunday’s main race. Leclerc will start the Belgian GP on pole, with Sainz in fourth. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez will join Leclerc on the front row.

Max Verstappen posted the fast time during Friday’s qualifying but was handed a five-point grid penalty for exceeding his gearbox allowance for the season. Sainz added: “I’m feeling OK (about Sunday’s race). I think we are in a strong position for tomorrow.

“It’s impossible to know whether we will be quick or slow in the race. I prefer to be cautious, but at the same time, I know that if we do a good job, a top five or a podium isn’t impossible. We’ll focus on that for tonight.”

Ferrari are enduring a tough season in F1 after securing just two podiums to date, with Leclerc finishing second in Azberjaian and Austria. Sainz has only missed out on a points finish once this season but is yet to break into the top three.

Ferrari are fourth in the Constructors’ Championship but in danger of dropping to fifth thanks to a resurgent McLaren. Lando Norris has achieved back-to-back podiums for the British team.