The 'unique situation' that spared Sainz from slam dunk Miami GP penalty

Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly have both escaped investigations into yellow flag infringements at the Miami Grand Prix with mere warnings - despite both having failed to slow down for yellow flags.

A failure to react to a yellow is normally a nailed-on penalty - and usually a severe one, too - but the Miami GP stewards' panel felt neither Sainz, nor Gasly deserved a race result-altering sanction.

The yellow flag in question was being waved for a stopped car - seemingly that of Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto, according to the time cited by the stewards - and it was acknowledged that neither Gasly, nor Sainz slowed for it.

Sainz did "lift the throttle after being informed of a yellow flag by the team, this being slightly after passing the yellow flag zone".

However, in both drivers' cases, the stewards wrote that "looking at the footage available, it is evident that the yellow flag was only shown from one marshal post and was shown against a yellow background [seemingly an ad board] in a very quick part of the track". 

"In addition to that, there was no light panel in place at that point and therefore neither the team nor the driver got any visual or audible warning," the stewards continued.

"The car causing the yellow flag also was not visible from the driver's perspective as it was hidden behind an exit." 

All this contributed to both potential infringements being the result of "a unique scenario" with "mitigating circumstances" - and thus both drivers escaped with only a warning.

It makes no meaningful difference to Gasly's race result - he finished 13th, as the last car on the lead lap, meaning that any time penalty would've still kept him 13th.

Sainz, however, hangs on to a meaningful ninth place - having also escaped any sanction for his last-lap collision with Lewis Hamilton.

Why Hamilton/Sainz was no further action

LAP 57/57

Drama on the final lap as Sainz and Hamilton get up close and personal into the final hairpin!