Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has been struggling with rotten luck since the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix. As the most anticipated race in the Formula 1 calendar began, Sainz unknowingly drove over a manhole lid during FP1 which caused a halt in the racing session. This situation spiraled quickly as it led to the further postponement of the race and upset the fans. The sticky situation persisted for the Spaniard during the second free practice session.
In Abu Dhabi, Carlos Sainz incurred another significant financial blow for the Pracing Horse team. He struggled to navigate in the dusty air, which caused a sharp oversteer and a head-on collision with the Turn 3 barriers. With significant damage visible in the aftermath, Ferrari’s technicians are under extreme pressure to get the vehicle ready for FP3 and, more importantly, for Saturday’s qualifying session in time for the race.
A scary moment for Carlos Sainz who finds the barriers at Turn 3 👀#AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/QSH6LwIcZW
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2023
Fred Vasseur, the team principal, hinted at potential financial repercussions stemming from these instances. Teams are watching out for unanticipated expenses as the season is winding up. It’s crucial to note that the budget cap for the ongoing season has been capped at $135 million. The proximity of such hefty crashes is not in Ferrari’s strategic plans even though accidents are a part of the budget.
Carlos Sainz dodges penalties despite Abu Dhabi FP2 crash
The first of two red flags that severely limited all drivers’ track time occurred early in the practice when Carlos Sainz was involved in a collision close to the pit exit. But Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg caused the second red flag event. Ferrari had already made the decision to swap out his gearbox and power unit with previously used but fresher components. This standard exchange happened just as planned.
While talking about the impact of the crash, Sainz said, “For some reason, there’s been a change in the track compared to other years. There are two bumps, one at the exit of Turn 2, and one at the entry of Turn 3, that with this new generation of cars, it’s upsetting the car a lot. It nearly caught me out in FP1, I changed a few things in the setup and in the line trying to get rid of it.”
🇦🇪 Carlos about possible penalties:
“No, we shouldn’t take any penalties, so yeah, all good for the rest of the weekend.”#CarlosSainz | #AbuDhabiGP | #F1 pic.twitter.com/PzLv4DsCLS
— Carlos Sainz News (@CSainzNews_) November 25, 2023
The driver further added, “We shouldn’t take any penalties. So all good for the rest of the weekend.”
A penalty could have had an important impact on the team’s quest for second place, as Ferrari and Mercedes were separated by a mere four points in the championship.