Source:REUTERS/ELOISA SANCHEZ
[Saba Sports News] During the F1 Mexican Grand Prix, Williams driver Carlos Sainz retired due to a mechanical issue and detailed the process of his retirement and the incident that triggered the Virtual Safety Car. Nearing the end of the race, the Spanish driver retired in the stadium section of the track. Although he believed he had parked the car in a safe location, the race still entered the Virtual Safety Car state. Sainz explained afterward: “I pulled over inside the barrier, trying my best to avoid triggering a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car. I felt I made the safest choice.” When pressed for further details, Sainz added: “No, I was pushing flat out, with [Lance] Stroll close behind, I was trying to see if I could get P14. The tires overheated, I had a half-spin, but anyway, we were going to retire regardless.” When asked if he believed the Virtual Safety Car was necessary, Sainz said: “I felt I had parked the car in a sufficiently safe position. I don’t know if a Virtual Safety Car or double yellow flags were needed, but I did try to avoid those situations.”