Oscar Piastri challenges Brazilian GP penalty in ‘can’t just disappear’ response

Oscar Piastri was hit with a 10-second time penalty at the Brazilian Grand Prix for causing a collision which also involved Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

With the early-race crash punting Leclerc into retirement, Piastri was adjudged to be the instigator by the FIA stewards, and penalised accordingly. Piastri said it was a “tough” verdict to take, as he was “not sure where I’m supposed to go” in whatever way the incident is analysed.

Oscar Piastri: ‘I can’t just disappear’

After a Safety Car period to cover Gabriel Bortoleto’s opening-lap crash, the race resumed on Lap 6. Behind leader Lando Norris, Antonelli, Piastri and Leclerc went three-wide into Turn 1.

The result was contact, as Piastri, on the inside, locked a wheel and clipped Antonelli, who was bumped into Leclerc. With the front left tyre sent rolling off down the hill, Leclerc was out of the race.

An argument could be made for Piastri deserving a little more space on the inside, and it is one which he brought up, after the stewards deemed him at fault and issued a 10-second penalty. Piastri went on to finish the race P5.

“In my opinion, I had a very clear opportunity up the inside. Went for it,” he told the media post-race.

“Yes, there was a lock-up, but I was firmly on the apex, on the white line. I couldn’t go any further left, and I can’t just disappear.

“So, the decision is what it is, was one of a number of difficult moments through today and this weekend. But, yeah, I wouldn’t have done anything differently if I had another chance.”

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Asked if he was backing out, rather than lunging forwards, on the approach to T1, as it was suggested that he appeared to be losing ground, Piastri added: “I would say I was losing ground, yes, but that was because I think the other two were braking very late, and it was a bit damp on the inside, so I was probably a bit cautious with that.

“But obviously, when you’re on the outside, you can take much more liberty. And again, there was a lock-up, but I think the fact that I managed to keep it stuck on the inside white line with a lock-up, I was pretty firmly in control, if I can keep my line. So it is what it is.

“No matter what way you look at that, I’m not sure where I’m supposed to go.

“When you have that good of a run into Turn 1, and you’re fully alongside, you’re not just going to back out. I think to try and go in any deeper than I did, would have been ambitious.

“I was where I was, so I think, in that scenario, if I was clearly understeering and missing the apex and then hit Kimi, then sure, I’d understand. But the fact that I was as far left as I could have gone, makes it tough.”

Norris followed-up his Sprint win with Brazilian Grand Prix victory, thus extending his Drivers’ Championship lead over Piastri to 24 points with three rounds remaining.

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