Williams driver Carlos Sainz has been fined €10,000 for arriving late to the national anthem ceremony at the Japanese Grand Prix due to stomach issues.
The stewards reviewed Sainz’s explanations, the comments of team representatives, and Dr. Messina of Med-Ex, and also examined video footage. They confirmed that Sainz arrived at the ceremony after it had commenced.
Although the driver attributed his lateness to health issues, which were confirmed by the doctor, the stewards decided to impose a fine.
They considered Sainz’s explanations and reduced the penalty from €60,000 (as stipulated by the FIA's International Sporting Code for such violations) to €10,000.
Sainz was previously penalized for blocking Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton at the Japanese Grand Prix.
