Out-going Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has said his team “simply didn’t execute” in the Las Vegas Grand Prix despite him claiming third place behind the two Mercedes drivers – Sainz having engaged in some heated team radio discussions with his race engineer following a bizarre pit lane incident.
Starting P2 on Saturday evening at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, by Lap 26 of 50 Sainz had dropped to third behind eventual race winner George Russell and Max Verstappen (who won his fourth title in Las Vegas after ultimately coming home P5).
READ MORE: Verstappen crowned champion as Russell heads Mercedes 1-2 in Las Vegas
At this point in the race, Sainz was urging Ferrari to stop him for a second time, as the Ferraris of Sainz and team mate Charles Leclerc came under pressure from the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton – who would eventually finish P2.
After letting Leclerc by on Lap 27, however, Sainz was then instructed to pit – only to be told at the last minute to stay out by his engineer, forcing him to skip over the pit entry apron and back onto the track.
“What happened?!” demanded Sainz, before engineer Riccardo Adami replied: “We were not ready.”
“Wake up guys, come on!” shouted Sainz in response.