Sainz accuses Piastri of over-optimistic move

Carlos Sainz has blamed Oscar Piastri for their first-corner collision in the Belgian Grand Prix that eventually forced both into retirement.

On the short run into La Source hairpin at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, from fourth on the grid, Ferrari driver Sainz had managed to position himself on the inside of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who had started third.

Sainz, however, suffered a lock-up of his front-right tyre on the approach, and despite attempting to take the apex, squeezed Piastri against the barrier.

The McLaren suffered a broken front wing, steering, and a puncture, resulting in Piastri retiring on the exit of the Fagnes chicane.

With a hole in the right-hand sidepod of his SF-23, Sainz ploughed on, but the lack of downforce from the damage eventually led to his exit after 23 of the 44 laps as a hoped-for red flag that would have instigated repairs never materialised.

Reflecting on the incident, Sainz said: “I was on the attack with Lewis, and I pretty much had the move done into Turn 1.

“I made the apex cleanly but, unfortunately, Oscar was trying to do a bit of an optimistic move on me.

“A bit of a shame because when you review the past races here in Spa, and what have been the typical Turn 1 incidents, it’s exactly that.

“Everyone who tries the inside line into Turn 1, and tries to really make it around there, normally generates an incident or a crash, and this time it was my turn to receive it.”

Suggested to Sainz his lock up, in combination with going deep into the corner, opened the door for Piastri, the Spanish driver was dismissive.

“I didn’t go deep,” countered Sainz. “I perfectly made the apex and passed Lewis. If you look at my onboard, yes, I do lock up, but I don’t go deep into the corner.”

As to whether he was aware of Piastri on his inside, he said: “Yeah, but at some point, someone needs to back out.

“It’s the guy who is alongside my rear-right that I think needs to back off and move, not me and let him pass me into Turn 1, especially when I pretty much had my move done with Lewis.”

Following the incident, Sainz’s pace plummeted, resulting in him running at the back of the pack.

As the rain that appeared briefly failed to turn into anything heavy and the race continued on to its natural conclusion, Sainz’s retirement was inevitable.

“It (the car) was undrivable pretty much but we kept it going and never gave up in case there was a red flag,” he said.

“When the rain passed and there was no red flag, we retired.”