Carlos Sainz reveals behind-the-scenes details after ‘direct exchanges’ in US GP meeting

Said to have engaged in a “lively drivers’ meeting” in Mexico, Carlos Sainz says it was a “positive, productive meeting” with the FIA and that new rules could be in place in time for the Qatar Grand Prix.

Formula 1’s rules of engagement have dominated the sport’s headlines after title protagonists Max Verstappen and Lando Norris went wheel-to-wheel at the United States GP with the latter incurring a penalty.

Carlos Sainz revealed interpretation of the rules was discussed

Having chased down Verstappen for third place late in the 56-lap Grand Prix, Norris challenged the Red Bull on the run to Turn 12 and briefly got ahead.

However, Verstappen was late on the brakes into the corner and ran them both wide with Norris keeping his foot down to pass Verstappen in the run-off area. He was slapped with a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

According to the FIA’s stewards, it came down to who had the apex and therefore the “right” to the corner and they ruled that was Verstappen because Norris was the attacking driver.

Verstappen as the defending driver was also not bound by the regulations to leave a “fair and acceptable width” for Norris around the outside of the corner.

McLaren lodged a right to review but that was rejected by the stewards.

While that was going on, the drivers met with the FIA for their driver briefing with Sky F1’s Craig Slater revealing that the “rules of engagement and how to make them better dominated discussions”.

“It was a lively drivers’ meeting in Mexico City overnight,” he said, “and there were direct exchanges between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen about defending and overtaking. But I’ve been told they were ‘calm’ and ‘respectful’.

“Ultimately, there is an understanding that the rules will never be perfect,” he added. “The appetite is to tighten wordings and try to define the guidelines better.”

More on Lando Norris v Max Verstappen at the US GP

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Sainz has since revealed further details about the meeting, including when the drivers can expect a new set of rules to be in place.

“I think it was a positive, productive meeting,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com.

“I think a lot of drivers opened up about how they felt about each situation and what we think is the best way forward.

“Yeah, how you interpret the rules and those driving guidelines that the stewards are going to apply penalties with, they’re still the same coming into this weekend and probably I think they will be applied in a similar manner.

“But, yeah, I think moving forward it was a productive meeting and I think in Qatar we will have some solutions that hopefully will offer, I think, better understanding for the driver and better racing in general.

“Yeah, hopefully it should be better.”

As for Verstappen, he simply said that “Carlos explained it perfectly” while Norris didn’t comment.

Read next: McLaren ‘disagree’ with FIA as right to review Norris’ penalty rejected