Why F1’s racing rules remain divisive after Sainz-Lawson clash at Zandvoort

Williams lodging a right of review against Carlos Sainz’s penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix shows more unease over the Formula 1 racing rules, which vindicated Liam Lawson’s driving in the clash.

Lawson and Sainz collided on lap 27 at Zandvoort when Sainz attempted to overtake the Racing Bulls driver around the outside of Turn 1, and was then crowded off the road by Lawson as the pair made contact.

The FIA race stewards blamed Sainz for the race altering collision and handed the Spaniard a 10-second penalty, as the Williams man was not ahead of Lawson at the apex.

Per the FIA’s updated racing guidelines for 2025, which provide a general idea of how stewards are going to judge certain incidents, Sainz was not entitled any room on exit.

The guidelines say: “Overtaking on the outside will always be viewed as a more difficult manoeuvre to accomplish. To be entitled to be given room, including at the exit, when overtaking on the OUTSIDE, the overtaking car must:

“i) Have its front axle AHEAD OF THE FRONT AXLE of the other car AT THE APEX.

“ii) Be driven in a controlled manner from entry, to apex, and to exit.

“iii) Be able to make the corner within track limits.”

With Sainz not far enough alongside, it means Lawson was free to move towards the outside on exit, expecting his rival to back out of the move.

Sainz labelled his time penalty “a complete joke” and was also frustrated with Lawson’s tendency to exploit the letter of those rules, calling the New Zealander “stupid” for opening up his steering and risking contact.

The racing rules topic was extra problematic in Zandvoort because many of the dune circuit’s corners are banked and therefore allow drivers to take different lines while still staying side-by-side.

It’s not the first time Lawson and Williams have clashed, with the Racing Bulls driver also forcing Sainz’s team-mate Alex Albon off at Turn 1 in Barcelona, with Albon escaping damage by taking to the escape road.

With the Zandvoort stewards following the current guidelines, and Williams unlikely to supply any new and relevant evidence that must underpin a right of review, the team’s case will very likely be dismissed. But Williams seems to use the mechanism as a conversation starter over the championship’s stewarding, saying “it is important for us to understand how to go racing in future, and we are hopeful of a positive outcome”.

According to Albon, the latest clash with Lawson further underlined the confusion over today’s racing rules, with the matter set to be discussed in Friday night’s drivers’ briefing at Monza ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.

“I was the car behind, so I would say I had the best view of it,” Albon said. “Liam was clearly at fault, from my point of view.

Liam Lawson clashed with Alex Albon in Barcelona

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

“I got told about Carlos’ penalty on the in-lap after the race, and that was also surprising. As a driver you have your version of the inter-combat rules on top of what the FIA had. And it looked to me like, at best, a racing incident, and then, if anything, a penalty towards Liam.

“We will definitely discuss it. The FIA, in all honesty, are very open to discussions around these kinds of things. So, I will guarantee you it’s going to be a long [briefing].

“Realistically, it feels like the inside driver just has far too much power in the rulebook, and is almost completely in control of his destiny, whereas the outside driver just needs to comply.”

At the time, Lawson said he understood Albon’s Spanish Grand Prix frustration, but he doesn’t feel like the Zandvoort clash was any different and was still surprised Sainz expected to be given room.

“The regulations are written as they are. As drivers we all know that,” Lawson added on Thursday in Monza. “Sometimes we don’t agree with it or sometimes we feel like it doesn’t feel right.

“I had it this year where I tried to make overtakes around the outside, had my wheels even further alongside than Carlos did and still wasn’t given space. And I always felt like it wasn’t fair, but it’s how the rules are.

“If you don’t have your front axle ahead of the car on the inside, I don’t know why you’d expect to be given space because it says that you don’t have to.

“If the guidelines say I don’t have to give them space, why would I give them space and let them pass me? That doesn’t make sense.”

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll is one of several drivers who feel the racing rules have “gotten pretty complex” in recent years.

“There was a time where you would just leave a car’s width on the racetrack at all times, if you’re side by side with someone,” he said. “And now it’s gotten weird with having to get your front axle in front of the mirror, and if you do, then it’s your corner.

“It’s gotten probably too complicated, so I think it’s not surprising if we see these funny outcomes with incidents and decisions because of the rules.”

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly didn’t think racing in F1 had necessarily become unnatural, but wants to ensure the series promotes action-packed, close racing that doesn’t discourage drivers from making moves.

“What we don’t want is big consequences on someone’s race, whether it’s led by a driver’s driving or whether it’s a false penalty, which can be too harsh for a situation,” the Frenchman added.

“But at the end we all want to see close racing. We don’t want to back off from it and that’s better for the drivers and also from a fan point of view.”