2024 Race 17 Azerbaijan

[Nitrodaze]

I saw what Sky Sports had to say live on air. I don’t agree with it and I wish Anthony Davidson was analysing that one as I think he’d be of the same opinion as me. They haven’t taken all factors into consideration. Overall I think the Stewards got this one right in not penalising either driver, however, I still must lay more of the blame on the guy who had 100% view of everything that was and could happen, not the guy who couldn’t see the other properly and had little room.

That was my initial thought, but l took another look and thought Sainz could also have slowed down knowing it was not practical to carry on at speed with part of the car off track. They both put their foot down and Sainz in a compromised position risked losing it which he did and crashed into Perez. Why should Perez slow down or make it easy for Sainz? This is a race. It is up to Sainz to make a judgment call and realize that his dirty tires off track may compromise his chances of getting past Perez and possibly cause a loss of control.

The thing most are missing is that Perez would have to give up the slipstream from Leclerc, to make way for Sainz who would inherit the slipstream as a consequence. Perez did what any racing driver with a brain would do, hanging out to dry and forcing him to slow down or crash.