Carlos Sainz says Formula 1 has some "rethinking" to do regarding grid penalties after confusion following the Italian Grand Prix qualifying. Nine drivers, including Sainz, were given power unit-related or back of the grid' grid drop penalties heading into the weekend. That meant the final qualifying order was published hours after the session ended on track. Speaking to media, including RacingNews365.com, Sainz believes there is work to do to make it easier for the fans to understand and ensure the sporting integrity for the teams. He said: "It still shows F1 has some rethinking to do regarding these two or three situations that we find ourselves [in] once or twice every year. "[We need] to try and make sure we react well as a sport, we put the sport as a priority and make sure that the show happens in a fair way." This follows the clarification that had to be made at the Belgium Grand Prix by the FIA , after it was suggested Sainz's teammate Charles Leclerc had exploited a loophole which meant he started in a higher position than other drivers who took the same penalty. While this was not the case for the Monegasque, the FIA did admit the rules were vaguely written and could be interpreted differently to their intention.
Russell: Penalties "double edged sword" as F1 tries to be more sustainable
Currently teams are restricted on the number of engine components they can use in a season to keep costs low and be more sustainable. Mercedes driver George Russell admitted that its a "double edged sword" but believes there is still room for a rethink for the future. "It's a double edged sword. Obviously, we're trying to be more sustainable in F1, cutting down the number of parts and engines we use across a season with more and more races," he told media. "Then we have three engines to take us through 22 races, I don't know how many kilometres that is running flat out on a single engine but it's a huge amount. "It's normal that there are going to be failures along the way. I'm sure everyone will have a bit of a rethink."
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