Did stewards' decision cost Oscar Piastri a win at the British GP?

Oscar Piastri's British Grand Prix Frustration

SILVERSTONE, England — Oscar Piastri's bid for glory at the British Grand Prix ended in frustration, thanks to a contentious 10-second penalty that cost him the win at Silverstone. While the McLaren driver avoided sharp criticism of the FIA in his media interviews, his measured responses barely masked his disappointment.

"It's a different hurt," Piastri admitted after the race. "I know I deserved a lot more than what I got today. I felt like I drove a really strong race. And, yeah, ultimately, when you don't get the result you think you deserve, it hurts. Especially when it's not in your control."

The penalty, handed down for "erratic driving" during a safety car restart, left Piastri with a third-place finish behind his triumphant McLaren teammate Lando Norris and second-placed Max Verstappen. It also resulted in a major swing in the championship standings, cutting his lead over Norris to just eight points.

The Incident

Until Lap 21, Piastri's performance had been faultless. But during a second safety car restart, a split-second decision involving his brake pedal sent the stewards into action. Piastri slowed dramatically on the straight between Turns 14 and 15, braking heavily from 135 mph to just 32 mph. Unprepared for this sudden deceleration, Verstappen briefly overtook the McLaren, breaching safety car regulations in the process.

Initially, it seemed Verstappen might be penalized for passing under the safety car, but replays and telemetry shifted the focus to Piastri. Stewards found the McLaren driver's heavy braking breached Article 55.15 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, which prohibits erratic driving likely to endanger others once the safety car lights go out.

"When the clerk of the course had declared that the safety car was coming in... Car 81 suddenly braked hard [59.2 psi of brake pressure]," the stewards’ report explained. "This momentarily resulted in Car 1 [Verstappen] unavoidably overtaking Car 81, a position which he gave back immediately."

According to Piastri, the braking was necessary to regain tire and brake temperature during a critical moment.

"I hit the brakes. At the same time, the lights on the safety car went out, which was extremely late," he said. "I didn't do anything differently to my first restart. I didn't go any slower. I didn't do anything differently."

Despite Piastri’s reasoning, the stewards deemed his actions to contravene the rules, leaving him with no chance to fight for the win.

Team Response

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was vocal in defending his driver, calling the penalty harsh and questioning whether Verstappen's reaction influenced the decision.

"The [safety car] was pulled in very late, leaving little time to manage conditions like tire and brake temperature," Stella said. "Fifty bar [brake pressure] is what you'd expect during a normal safety car situation."

"We know that as part of some competitors' race craft, there’s a tendency to make others look worse than they are."

Verstappen, for his part, expressed surprise at the stewards' call.

"The thing is, this happened to me a few times in the past. I just find it strange that suddenly now Oscar is the first one to receive 10 seconds for it," the reigning champion said.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner pointed to an apparent inconsistency in FIA rulings, mentioning George Russell's similar actions during the Canadian Grand Prix, which went unpenalized.

"I wasn’t surprised to see Piastri penalized. It’s probably more surprising George didn’t get one in Montreal," Horner remarked.

The key difference, however, was Russell’s lower brake pressure in Canada, recorded at 30 psi, compared to Piastri’s almost doubled application.

Final Race Stages

With victory off the table and a penalty served during his final pit stop, Piastri found himself trailing Norris, who went on to claim a landmark win at his home grand prix. The 10-second penalty prevented McLaren from considering any role reversals between their drivers, despite Piastri briefly requesting a swap on team radio.

"I thought I would ask the question," Piastri said after the race. "I knew what the answer was going to be before I asked, but I just wanted a small glimmer of hope that maybe I could get [the position] back."

Stella, however, described the team's handling of the situation as fair, emphasizing that the natural order of the race was maintained.

"At the point in which we needed to transition to dry tires, Oscar served the penalty, and the order reflected that. I’m sure he understands," said Stella.

What’s Next for Piastri?

Although his championship lead has dwindled, Piastri took solace in being the fastest driver on track for most of the race. Reflecting on the bigger picture, he credited the entire McLaren team for delivering a strong weekend.

"The car was obviously mega, and, giving myself credit, I feel like I did a good job today," he said. "It just makes it more painful when you don’t win."

For Piastri, the incident at Silverstone may serve as a painful lesson. But with his determination undimmed and the pace of the McLaren stronger than ever, the Australian rookie remains poised to continue his fight for the title.

Meanwhile, for Lando Norris, his victory on home soil marks a significant milestone, further solidifying his position as a legitimate championship contender. With momentum now on his side, the battle between the two McLaren teammates promises to be one of Formula One’s most captivating narratives in the races ahead.

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