High amount of money
Gastrointestinal problems: curious punishment for F1 drivers
06.04.2025 – 2:38 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
Health problems prevent Carlos Sainz from appearing in time for a traditional appointment. The sanction follows immediately – and could have been even higher.
Even discomfort does not protect against a punishment: Williams driver Carlot Carlos Sainz was felt at the Japan Grand Prix. The Spaniard, plagued by gastrointestinal problems, did not appear in time for the national anthem in the starting line-up and received a lush fine of 20,000 euros directly. The FIA automotive association emphasized that it had taken into account Sainz’s health at the amount of the sanction. Usually, with such a violation, up to 60,000 euros are due.
The health service provider Med-Ex confirmed that Sainz had been in health and received medication against the symptoms. How much Sainz was late was not stated in the FIA judgment.
The respect of the pilots of the national anthem of the issuing country has top priority that the drivers would have to “take all eventualities into account” in order to be guaranteed to be on site in good time for the anthem on time. Even more: half of the fine is exposed to probation, provided that Sainz does not appear too late within the next twelve months.
It is currently not going well for Sainz either. The 30-year-old only collected one point in the first three season races, he had lost his Ferrari cockpit to Lewis Hamilton and then switched to Williams. However, the British racing team cannot keep up with the top teams of the “premier class”.