Sainz's Brazilian Grand Prix podium confirmed
Carlos Sainz's first Formula 1 podium and McLaren's first in five years is secure, after the FIA looked into alleged illegal DRS use in the Brazilian Grand Prix.


Sainz inherited third place after Lewis Hamilton picked up a five-second penalty for hitting Alex Albon out of second on the penultimate lap of the race at Interlagos.
While no formal investigation was announced, the FIA did request data from some teams – including McLaren – after complaints that DRS was used illegally under yellow flags during the grand prix.
That meant further changes to the results were possible, but Sainz has now been awarded his third-place trophy.
Sainz tweeted: "PODIUM! A bit weird not being there after the race, but still extremely happy. "Today's race was just unbelievable. The one-stop strategy was difficult but paid off. Congrats to the whole team!"
It is the Spaniard's first podium in 101 starts, and McLaren's first since the 2014 season-opening Australian Grand Prix – 119 races ago.
Read Also:
Team principal Andreas Seidl told Motorsport.com: "It's a great achievement obviously, I'm very happy for the entire team after putting in a lot of hard work here at the track and back home at the factory.
"It's great to achieve this podium, the first one for Carlos in his career, also the first one for us for a long time. It's great motivation to make sure we keep working hard and fight for podiums in the future down to our own performance."
Sainz is seventh in the championship after a superb season in which he has previously earned a best result of fifth, three times, and he will end the year the best-placed driver who spent the full year in a midfield team.
His breakthrough podium was all the more unlikely given he started the race last after failing to take part in qualifying because of an ignition wiring problem.
As he was starting at the back anyway, McLaren gave him an all-new Renault engine for the grand prix.
Seidl said: "We always go into the race with the spirit to never give up. Of course we couldn't have dreamed of that result."
Read Also:

Mercedes: Offering late stop to Hamilton was "plain dumb"
Binotto labels Vettel/Leclerc clash a "silly action"

Latest news
Verstappen exclusive: Why F1's champion isn't fazed by Silverstone return
Max Verstappen is the world’s number one racing driver… and he’s determined to keep it that way. Speaking exclusively to GP Racing's OLEG KARPOV, the Red Bull driver explains why he’s relishing the 2022 championship battle with Charles Leclerc – and why he’s not worried about returning to Silverstone, the scene of the biggest accident of his career last year
Why Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar can help its F1 team
On Tuesday, Red Bull laid out its plans to develop and build a new hypercar - the RB17 - penned by Adrian Newey. As the project itself sates Newey as a creative outlet, it also offers Red Bull's Formula 1 team a number of new and exciting avenues to pursue.
What to expect from Mercedes as F1 returns to Silverstone
OPINION: The British Grand Prix is a home event for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, with their Mercedes team based just a few miles away too. But there’s another reason why the Silver Arrows squad is eager to arrive at Silverstone this weekend, which may help it fix its remaining problems with its 2022 Formula 1 challenger .
Inside AlphaTauri’s Faenza F1 factory
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s Oleg Karpov on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow.
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons: Villeneuve and Leclerc
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career.
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Max Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...