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Sainz Track Safety Alert

Leclerc’s Ferrari Damaged, Halts Bahrain Practice

22/02/2024

During today’s Bahrain practice, Carlos Sainz warned stewards of track debris risks before Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari suffered damage from a loose manhole cover, highlighting safety concerns and Sainz’s proactive stance.

Carlos Sainz revealed he had alerted the stewards to the danger of debris on the track when his teammate hit a loose manhole cover during today’s practice session.

This morning’s practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit was halted after Charles Leclerc damaged the floor of his Ferrari on the cover, with debris also struck by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes.

Sainz, who experienced a similar incident when his car hit a broken water valve cover in Las Vegas last year, witnessed today’s scene unfold before his eyes.

“Actually, I was standing right in front of the cover when it came out of its housing, and I went to the edge of the track to see.”

He realized that the stewards had not noticed that the cover had come loose on the curb approaching turn 11 and was alerting them when Leclerc’s car arrived.

“I was looking at it thinking ‘yellow flag, yellow flag, yellow flag, someone’s going to hit it!’ Boom, my teammate came along and hit it.”

“So, I feel like it could have been avoided in some way. I missed it by a lap because I went to talk to a steward and just as I was talking to him about the yellow flag, it happened. So I feel a bit guilty.”

Sainz Track Safety Alert. Sainz Track Safety Alert

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