Ferrari discover FIA verdict after appeal against Carlos Sainz’s penalty

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The FIA have rejected Ferrari’s appeal against the penalty given to Carlos Sainz at the Australian Grand Prix.

A virtual hearing started this morning at 8am (BST), with the stewards from the race in Melbourne present for the appeal process.

Ferrari were hopeful that Sainz’s five-second time penalty – which consequently dropped him from fourth to 12^th and out of the points – would be overturned.

However, the FIA noted “no significant and relevant new element” to prompt a new hearing into the incident.

The Spanish driver was given the penalty after colliding with Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso after the final grid restart of a chaotic race, leading to a third red flag and a one-lap restart behind a safety car.

Only 12 of the 20 starters finished the race and while Sainz crossed the line in fourth, the five seconds added on to the official classification timings meant he finished last out of all those who completed the race.

Sainz was furious in the aftermath of the penalty, insisting the punishment was “too severe”.

But he will remain on 20 points in the Drivers’ Standings, having lost 12 points as a result of his demotion from fourth to 12th.

Ferrari said in a statement: “We are naturally disappointed, and felt that we had provided sufficient significant new elements for the FIA to re-examine the decision, especially in the context of the particular conditions and multiple incidents that occurred during the final restart.”

After a month-long break due to the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, F1 returns next week with the first sprint weekend of the new season in Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix (28-30 April).