Piastri Expresses Frustration After Penalty at the British Grand Prix
SILVERSTONE, England – Although he moderated his responses to the media on Sunday night, Oscar Piastri couldn’t hide his disappointment at the 10-second penalty that cost him the victory at the British Grand Prix. The McLaren driver, visibly affected, offered concise answers, avoiding delving into his true feelings.After finishing his media obligations before his teammate, Lando Norris, Piastri had to wait only 25 minutes in the press room before the mandatory session with the written media. During this session, Piastri maintained a fine line between showing his frustration and expressing his genuine emotions.
Known for his calmness on the team radio, Piastri had handled the situation perfectly until lap 21, before a safety car restart. An apparently routine braking cost him the victory and a 14-point difference in the drivers’ standings, in favor of Norris. The situation arose when Piastri braked sharply to warm up the tires and brakes, just as the safety car lights were turning off. The maneuver surprised Max Verstappen, who overtook him, violating the safety car rules. The stewards analyzed the telemetry of the McLaren and determined that Piastri had violated the erratic driving rules. The stewards’ statement indicated that Piastri had braked sharply on the straight, abruptly reducing his speed, which forced Verstappen to take evasive action.“Obviously it hurts at the moment. It’s a different pain, because I know I deserved much more than what I got today. I felt like I had a really strong race. And yes, in the end, when you don’t get the result you think you deserve, it hurts. Especially when it’s not in your control,” declared Piastri.
Oscar Piastri
Verstappen, for his part, questioned the consistency of the decisions, pointing out that similar situations in the past had not resulted in penalties. The situation recalled a recent precedent, when Red Bull protested against George Russell in the Canadian Grand Prix for a similar maneuver, but their protest was rejected. Piastri, for his part, was confused by the decision, considering that Verstappen’s action was more significant in Montreal. After the penalty, Piastri asked if the drivers could swap positions, although he knew it was unlikely that the team would agree. Stella backed his driver’s initiative, explaining that the team had carefully considered the fairest way to manage the race. The penalty result was a significant victory for Norris and the reduction of Piastri’s lead in the drivers’ standings to just eight points. For Piastri, the consolation is that, for most of the race, he was the fastest driver on the track. “The whole team did a very good job, the car was obviously incredible, and giving myself credit, I feel like I did a good job today. It just makes it more painful when you don’t win,” he concluded.“The penalty seems very harsh. There are some factors that we would like the stewards to take into account”, explained Stella.
Andrea Stella
