Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson has responded to Carlos Sainz’s heavy criticism following a collision during the Dutch Grand Prix.
The pair had contact at Turn 1 on the safety car restart following Lewis Hamilton’s race-ending crash. As the Spanish driver went for the outside line, Lawson collided with the front-right of the Williams. While the stewards found Sainz to be at fault for the contact, the Williams driver branded the subsequent 10-second penalty a “complete joke” and took aim at the New Zealander.
“But with Liam, it always seems to be very difficult to make that happen,” Sainz explained to the media after the race. “He always seems to prefer to have a bit of contact and risk a DNF or a puncture like we did, than to actually accept having two cars side by side.
“Hopefully, it will come with more experience to him because he knows he’s putting too many points on the line just for an unnecessary manoeuvre like he did. But on top of that, to then get a 10-second penalty for it, I think it’s a complete joke.”
Responding to Sainz’s comments, Lawson claimed the Spanish driver went for a “risky” move.
“I’m sure he’s not [happy]. I’m not stoked either. It ruined my day, and it’s something that the rules are written as they are, and we know how they’re written. And I’ve been on the receiving end this year as well, where I was going for an overtake and thought that I should be given space, and I wasn’t, and I got a penalty, so it’s something that we learn from.
“We all know this, so it’s that one on a restart. It’s super slippery, cold tyres, and it’s fine to go for the move, but it’s just risky, and we made contact, which is not ideal, but that’s why he got a penalty.”
He added, “He can make all the comments in the world he likes. I wish he’d just come and talk to me about it rather than telling everybody else, but if it was my fault, I would have got a penalty. I understand his frustration. We don’t want to be in these situations, and as I said, I’ve been on the receiving end as well. It’s just the way the rules are written.”
