PALMER’S ANALYSIS: Was Sainz's five-second penalty in Melbourne too harsh or fair punishment?


The Australian Grand Prix was a dramatic extravaganza full of moving parts that the drivers had to negotiate to survive to the chequered flag. If you managed that, you were likely to be scoring points by dusk on Sunday.
One driver who was in the thick of the action throughout was Carlos Sainz, whose Grand Prix comprised of the good, the bad and the unlucky – ultimately yielding no points for him or the Ferrari team after Charles Leclerc’s lap one clash.

Unlock exclusive F1 content and more with F1 Unlocked. Totally free.
Membership gets you closer with:
Curated insider content
Live like an F1 insider with exclusive access and VIP experiences
Member benefits, rewards and offers
Next Up
Related Articles
Lifestyle & CultureHow title-challenger Norris is redefining F1 fashion
Lifestyle & CultureWhat the F1 drivers have done during the summer break
Hamilton shares more about his special Ferrari documents
Wolff backs Bottas in push for full-time F1 return
How long do the F1 drivers’ current deals last?
Half Term Reports 2025How Williams’ 2025 season has played out so far