Grand Prix Drivers' Association director Carlos Sainz said he will propose a three‑place grid penalty for any driver who generates a yellow or red flag during a Formula 1 qualifying session. The idea comes after Max Verstappen’s crash at the Austrian Grand Prix, which initially produced a single yellow flag that later turned into a double yellow, allowing George Russell to secure pole.
Sainz argued that the current rules let a driver finish a lap under a yellow and keep the time, creating a loophole where a driver can benefit from a dangerous incident. He pointed to past qualifying sessions in Baku and Monaco where drivers have been accused of using flags to protect their lap times, and suggested a penalty would discourage overly aggressive runs, even if no intent is proven.
Reactions were mixed. Former Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc warned that a blanket rule might only make sense on certain circuits, while Max Verstappen insisted that deliberate flag‑causing should attract an even harsher sanction and that allowing a lap to stand under a single yellow is unfair. The proposal is expected to be debated at the next GPDA meeting.
