‘Cocky’ Carlos Sainz ‘got into trouble’ in Baku with ‘beginners’ crash verdict issued

Ralf Schumacher says Carlos Sainz got “cocky” in his late charge in Baku while Helmut Marko has dubbed it a “beginners” crash that shouldn’t happen with drivers of Sainz and Sergio Perez’s experience.

Sainz and Perez crashed on the penultimate lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the two duelled Charles Leclerc for the final podium positions behind Oscar Piastri.

Carlos Sainz is blamed for Baku crash with Sergio Perez

Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix was an intense thriller from start to finish as Piastri and Leclerc battled for the lead, before Perez hunted them down to make it a three-way fight.

As Piastri checked out with three to go, capitalising on Leclerc’s sudden loss of his pace as his rear tyres fell off the cliff, Sainz brought himself into contention for a podium finish as he latched onto the back of Perez’s Red Bull.

Perez made a failed attempt to pass Leclerc into Turn 1 at the beginning of lap 50 with the Ferrari driver forcing him a little wide which opened the door for Sainz, who pounced to take third before eyeing Leclerc.

Perez, though, stuck to Sainz’s rear wing through Turn 2 and drew alongside the Ferrari on the run down to Turn 3, but when Sainz moved slightly to the left they made contact and speared into the wall. Game over!

Perez called Sainz a “f**king idiot” as he made it clear he felt the Ferrari driver was to blame while Sainz questioned “what happened”.

Schumacher answered that, telling Sky Deutschland : “Sainz came along, [then] Sainz got really cocky and wanted his own team-mate too.

“He didn’t know where to go and got into trouble.

“For whatever reason, he moved over, but Perez didn’t move to the side either. They touched each other and I say misery against misery.”

The German added: “Both have so much experience, that doesn’t have to happen so close to the end. You have to take the points.”

Conclusions and ratings from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

👉 Azerbaijan GP conclusions: Piastri’s title warning, Perez driver coach, keep Bearman in

👉 Azerbaijan GP driver ratings: Perfect Piastri and a big drop for Perez

Helmut Marko: Completely unnecessary to provoke something like that

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko agreed with Schumacher’s take on the collision that Sainz was the one who caused it by moving over.

“I see a rather abrupt movement to the left by Sainz, which ultimately caused this crash,” he said. “I completely agree with Ralf.

“It was completely unnecessary to provoke something like that two laps before the end.

“Perez came out of Turn Two much better and of course he didn’t make room voluntarily, he stayed on his line.”

And like the German, he too feels an unacceptable crash for two drivers each with 200 or more F1 entries under their belts.

“The two of them have I don’t know how many Grand Prix under their belts, things like that might happen to beginners,” he lamented. “It cost us a lot of points.”

It was instead a case of points lost and also P1 in the Constructors’ Championship as McLaren outscored Red Bull by 28 points to take a 20-point lead.

Read next: Did Sergio Perez really ‘confront’ Carlos Sainz in unseen Azerbaijan Grand Prix footage?