Carlos Sainz issues 'big crash' warning to F1 over 'plaster' concern

Carlos Sainz has warned F1 that it is facing a major on-track incident due to a particular aspect of the sport introduced this year.

The Straight Mode [SM] system has left Williams driver Sainz concerned. As part of the active aerodynamics in play, the angles of the front and rear wings change depending on whether the car is cornering or running through an SM zone.

At the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, an SM area connected Turns 9 and 10 at Melbourne's Albert Park, raising concerns because of the lack of downforce through the swooped section of the track.

Sainz expects the sport to see a sizeable number of crashes due to high-speed racing with minimal downforce.

“SM is a plaster on top of a plaster,” Sainz told the media, including RacingNews365.

“Racing with your wings open on the straights at 340 km/h, sooner rather than later, there's going to be a big crash at very high speeds in tracks like Australia with little kinks.”

While Sainz stated it is not an issue at every track, he pointed out that other venues with flat, straight sections featuring a mild twist in shape will generate similar concerns.

“Places like Jeddah, with open wings… I don't like it," he said, although the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has been cancelled for this year due to the war in the Middle East.

"I don't like having to race flat out at 340 km/h with no downforce in the car and the wings open, especially at those kinds of tracks. [In China] a straight line is fine. But in the other kind of tracks, it’s not good.

“SM is the plaster to a very energy-demanding circuit and car.”