Sainz handed three-place grid penalty at Spanish GP for impeding Bottas

[p]The 32-year-old ‌Williams driver was penalised for impeding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bottas-valtteri/bRJJqiGb/"]‌Bottas[/a] through Turns 6 and 7 during ‌the first phase of qualifying.[/p][p][b]"The team failed to inform the driver of Car ‌55 about Car 77 closing ⁠in on ‌a flying lap and the driver did ​not take any action to make way for the incoming car,"[/b] ​the FIA said in a statement. [b]"The Stewards determine that Car 55 unnecessarily ⁠impeded Car ​77."[/b][/p][embed guid="5d88798e-856f-49d5-8c7e-4adb7e827ab8" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2098817282398888315" social-type="twitter" /][p]The penalty drops [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sainz-carlos-jr/l6kEzjTF/"]Sainz[/a] to 20th on the grid and moves fellow Spaniard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-fernando/rVRhR90U/"]Fernando Alonso[/a] of Aston Martin, Cadillac's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perez-sergio/foV8RteD/"]‌Sergio Perez[/a] and Bottas up one place each for Sunday's 57-lap race, the first Formula 1 grand prix to be held at the Madring.[/p][p][b]Sainz, a former Ferrari driver and four-time race winner, has endured a frustrating campaign and lies 16th in the drivers' ‌championship with six points. Williams are ​ninth in the 11-team constructors' ‌standings.[/b][/p][p]Formula 1 champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] secured pole position for McLaren with a superb final lap at the Madring, beating Mercedes championship leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Kimi Antonelli[/a] ⁠by 0.011 ⁠seconds.[/p]