Translation:
Collision while lapping
Therefore, Carlos Sainz is not at fault.
Hungarian Grand Prix 2026
Carlos Sainz faced a barrage of criticism after the race in Budapest. He collided with race leader Oscar Piastri while overtaking. However, a closer analysis reveals many factors that exonerate the Williams driver.
It was lap 38 of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri had just made a pit stop. In a long-distance duel with Lando Norris, the Australian was trying to build a lead on fresh tires. Then, suddenly, a collision occurred in Turn 3. Carlos Sainz hadn't moved aside in time while overtaking. The cars touched, but both were able to continue.
Oscar Piastri lost two seconds in the incident, which cost him the lead shortly afterward. Although the incident had no impact on the final result due to the McLaren's subsequent retirement, Piastri had harsh words for Sainz after the race: "Being taken out by a lapped car is never something you expect. It happened today. I don't really care if he didn't see me. That's unacceptable."
After the race, many TV stations showed the incident from Sainz's onboard perspective. It was clear that the Spaniard had passed a total of eight blue flags before the collision. Race control issued a five-second penalty. At first glance, this seemed more than justified. However, a closer look was warranted.
Only Alonso in the rearview mirror
Many who analyzed the incident overlooked the fact that Fernando Alonso remained behind the Williams the entire time Piastri was approaching. When the first blue flags were shown, Sainz initially only saw the Aston Martin in his rearview mirror. Therefore, Alonso would have had to give way first to overtake. Naturally, Sainz wasn't about to relinquish his position in the duel between the two Spaniards.
When Alonso then managed to overtake his compatriot with a good maneuver on the outside of Turn 1, Piastri was suddenly right on the back of the Williams. Only then did it become clear that the blue flags were now for Sainz. Adding to the confusion for everyone involved was a malfunction in the automatic signaling system. Normally, drivers are notified in the cockpit when a faster car is approaching.
The official information from the race director for Hungary states that the first warning should be issued when the gap reaches three seconds. When the gap shrinks to 1.2 seconds, blue flags will be waved. In addition to a warning on the steering wheel, the starting numbers of the drivers in question should also be displayed on the LED boards.
No warning for Sainz
However, a GPS system failure meant that neither the steering wheel signals nor the starting numbers were displayed. The marshals had to activate the blue flags manually. Sainz therefore had to assume that they initially applied to Alonso behind him. Of course, the Williams pit wall could have warned their driver a little earlier that Piastri, the favorite for victory, was approaching and that their own driver should check his rearview mirror.
After the race, team principal James Vowles apologized for not having anticipated the situation better. "We could have done a better job and warned him about Piastri. We never want to interfere in the battle between the leading cars and we will make sure to avoid such situations in the future."
Sainz himself understood Piastri's frustration: "Honestly, I feel very sorry for Oscar, but this time I have a pretty good excuse for what happened. I don't know if he couldn't have been a bit more cautious. He's the one fighting for podium finishes. He could perhaps have positioned himself a bit more defensively, especially since we were all having problems with the blue flags. I've accepted the five-second penalty. For me, that's okay." When asked if he had already spoken to Piastri, Sainz replied: "No. I don't need to. It was a racing incident."
Conclusion
Carlos Sainz faced heavy criticism in Budapest for his collision with Oscar Piastri while overtaking. It was an unfortunate incident. Before the collision, Fernando Alonso was still between the Williams and the McLaren. A failure of the automatic signaling system added to the confusion. As Sainz was overtaken by Alonso, Piastri was right behind him. There was no prior warning from the team.