2026 Azerbaijan GP: Perez, Sainz penalised

Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz received Azerbaijan Grand Prix grid penalties after qualifying breaches, with Sainz dropping five places in Baku.

Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz have both received grid penalties for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix after separate qualifying breaches. Formula1.com reported that Perez was sanctioned after stewards found the Cadillac driver had impeded Oscar Piastri, while the same outlet said Sainz was given a five-place grid penalty for failing to slow for yellow flags.

Motorsport.com also reported Sainz’s five-place drop, describing it as a yellow-flag breach in qualifying, and RaceFans said it cost the Williams driver his best grid position of the season. The penalties alter the order for Saturday’s race in Baku, though the full final grid also depends on other sanctions.

Sainz arrived at the event 16th in the drivers’ championship with six points. The Spaniard has entered 241 Formula 1 races since 2015, recording four wins, five pole positions and 29 podiums across five teams.