Sainz wants changes to 'dangerous' Baku F1 safety car restarts

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was punctuated by three safety car restarts, as well as a red flag period, with collisions and resulting debris leading to lengthy interruptions.

Sainz, who finished eighth in Baku, said the restarts had presented a big safety risk as inconsistent pace from the leading cars on the approach to the start-finish line caused disruptions further down the order.

"For me it was probably the most dangerous part of the race," said Sainz.

"The leaders were waiting until the safety car line to start, and at the same time they were going fast-slow.

"For the guys at the back, we're still in the corners when they're going fast-slow, and there's walls and we cannot see through them.

"So suddenly we are going flat out in sixth, seventh gear, and they are braking again. "For me [it was] a bit on the dangerous side, for next year they should reconsider when the leader is obliged to push."

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton led the field on all three restarts.

On the first, he accelerated early out of the Turn 16 left-hander and was warned by his team that he had come close to passing the safety car before the first safety car line, for which would have received a penalty.

Hamilton then waited until later before accelerating on the second and third restarts, bolting in the flat-out section encompassing Turns 17 to 20.

"I think they should just put a rule for the leader to restart before Turn 16 and then to be flat from 16, make sure he's racing from 16 onwards," continued Sainz, who also said the issue had not been raised in the drivers' briefing.

"You cannot be slow braking, fast, slow braking, fast, all the time, in such a long straight, with people actually thinking we are going, suddenly upshifting and suddenly braking again.

"If I were the leader, I probably would've done the same.

"It's not the leader's fault at all.

"I think we would all have done the same to avoid the maximum possible slipstream.

"Make a rule if you want to be a bit more careful and make sure there's no accidents.

"If not, just let it be and more things will happen, and that's it."