Sainz Slams FIA Over "Half-Second" Engine Gap After Shock Singapore SQ1 Exit
Carlos Sainz accused the FIA of failing to enforce fairness after a software glitch left half the field with roughly half a second more engine power, contributing to his last-place exit from Singapore sprint qualifying.
Carlos Sainz has launched a furious attack on the FIA after crashing out in the first segment of Singapore Grand Prix sprint qualifying, claiming a power-unit software glitch handed half the field a huge straight-line advantage.
The Williams driver was eliminated in SQ1 on Friday at Marina Bay, qualifying slowest of the 22 cars with a lap nearly four seconds off the pace. Afterwards, Sainz said his car ran the entire session with roughly half a second less engine power than its rivals because of a software issue, and he accused the governing body of refusing to step in.
He argued that the FIA had chosen not to restore what he called "sporting equity" — something he said had been done at the previous round in Malaysia — and questioned why the sport's response to such failures keeps changing depending on who is affected. The Spaniard also admitted he struggled with repeated lock-ups and had no confidence in the car's brakes or tyres during the session.
Sainz's outburst piles pressure on the FIA after a chaotic start to the first sprint weekend in Singapore, where Max Verstappen took pole for Saturday's sprint but faced a stewards' investigation over a yellow-flag incident. Verstappen and George Russell will share the front row, with Charles Leclerc third.