F1 News
FIA explains: this is why Sainz and Leclerc were not given penalties
The FIA has clarified in a document why no action was taken after Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc drove too slowly during F1 qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix.
Sainz and Leclerc drove too slow during Q1 and so word came out from the FIA that investigations would be carried out after the session. Prior to the session, the FIA had still made it clear to the teams that they should not drive too slow. A penalty hung in the air, but no penalty followed after Sainz's pole and Leclerc's P3 after all.
The reason why Ferrari got away with slow lap times
''Both drivers stayed above the speed needed to get below 1.41.0 for most of the lap, especially on the straights. In both cases, the stewards found that both drivers moved aside for other drivers so as not to get in their way,'' the FIA statement read.
''The stewards have therefore decided that this cannot be seen as 'unnecessary slow driving' and that there was a valid reason why they failed to meet the time limit. It was therefore decided to take no further action.''
Sainz may therefore start Sunday's Italian Grand Prix from pole position, ahead of Max Verstappen. Leclerc will start from the second row of the grid with George Russell alongside him.