McLaren driver Carlos Sainz has slammed the second corner of the Sochi Autodrom after crashing there on the first lap of the Russian Grand Prix.
“That corner is not very well designed. It’s forcing drivers to take very strange lines and very strange incidents like the five-second penalties that we are given if we don’t negotiate that chicane next to a wall,” Sainz said.
READ: Bottas Wins Russian GP After Hamilton Handed Double Penalty
Prior to the race, drivers were instructed by stewards that if they go over the orange sausage kerb at the exit of turn two, they must re-join the track by going through the bollards on the side of the corner.
Stewards told teams and drivers that they would be handed a five-second penalty if they fail to follow this directive in the race.
A number of drivers, including Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull’s Alex Albon, fell foul of this.
Sainz tried to follow the stewards’ directive after running wide on the opening lap, but he carried too much speed when going through the array of bollards and had a high-impact crash while trying to re-join the circuit.
Speaking after the race, Sainz said: “It was a very poor start for everyone starting on the right-hand side of the grid.
“We literally had no grip. But by the time we got to turn two, we were still in a good position and fighting under the braking zone.
“At the time I was about to hit the apex in turn two I had to open my steering wheel because I thought I had someone on the inside and I might have jumped over the big kerbs.”
Continuing, Sainz said: “At that point I was going to negotiate the chicane, but I clearly had too much speed. The angle was really narrow to go around the bollard and I just misjudged my entry speed. The track was very dirty and I crashed pretty heavily against that wall.”
He said it was a “frustrating” day and took responsibility for the incident.
“I’m definitely looking forward now to Nurburgring to try and redeem myself a bit,” he added.
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