Yuki Tsunoda was promoted from ninth to sixth in the results of Formula 1's Miami sprint race following penalties for Alex Albon, Liam Lawson and Oliver Bearman, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Pierre Gasly also cycling into points-paying positions once the race concluded.
On lap 14 of the 18-lap wet-to-dry contest, Racing Bulls driver Lawson made contact with the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso while attempting to overtake the Spaniard in the fight for eighth. Lawson planted his car around the outside at Turn 11, which would become the inside line for the right-hand Turn 12 switchback.
While side-by-side, Alonso followed the natural line towards the apex of Turn 12, while Lawson persisted with the move halfway into the runoff area. The New Zealander's front-left tagged Alonso's right-rear, sending the two-time F1 champion into the barriers at relatively low speeds.
While driving behind the safety car in the aftermath, Lawson felt he was not to blame for the collision because he was ahead at the apex, something that his race engineer backed him up with.
Alonso remained calm before jumping out of his mangled Aston Martin, but clearly had a different opinion, saying he "knew" the clash with Lawson was going to happen. An intriguing, neutral view came from Haas driver Bearman, who was closely chasing the pair. "Typical Lawson," he said.
Commenting further on the Alonso clash, Lawson explained: "He came out on cold tyres and I'd done a lap, so I was trying to get by him early in the lap. I waited for DRS, made sure to get my wheels ahead at the apex when I'm trying to overtake. And I feel I did that and then I got squeezed off. So, at that point, honestly, I was heading for the concrete wall, and I was trying to get out, but he just kind of left me no space. So, obviously not my intention, but I do feel like I had my wheels ahead."
However, the FIA's race stewards have sided with Alonso by handing Lawson a five-second penalty, which means he loses his seventh-place finish. The 23-year-old also receives his sixth penalty point over the past 12-month period.
"Car 30 was attempting an overtake on the outside of Car 14 into Turn 11. Although being able to pull fully alongside, the front axle of Car 30 was not ahead of the front axle of Car 14 at the apex as required per the driving standards guidelines," said the stewards.
"Therefore Car 30 was not entitled to be given room at the exit. Due to the layout of the track, the car which has the right to the racing line in Turn 11 also has the right to the racing line in Turn 12. Car 30 drove to the very edge of the track between Turns 11 and 12 and collided with Car 14 on the approach to Turn 12."
There was also a five-second penalty for Williams driver Albon for not respecting the minimum time under the safety car. Because the pack finished bunched up behind the safety car, it was still enough to drop the Thai driver out of the points from fourth.
Bearman received a time penalty as well for an unsafe release, with Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg having to take avoiding action in the pitlane. Unlike the clash between Max Verstappen and Antonelli, the incident didn't lead to contact, so Bearman only received a five-second penalty instead of 10.
Those three penalties promoted Red Bull driver Tsunoda from ninth to sixth, ensuring the Japanese driver scoops up three points for his second points finish with Red Bull. Tsunoda started from the rear after missing an opportunity to set a clean sprint qualifying lap on Friday, but on Saturday he was rewarded for an early switch to slick tyres and marched into the top 10.
Mercedes shock sprint polesitter Antonelli and Alpine driver Gasly also move up into the points in seventh and eighth respectively.
Finally, there was a reprimand for Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc after driving with a car in dangerous condition. The Monegasque failed to make the start of the sprint race after crashing out on the laps to the grid, aquaplaning off the road in his Ferrari while on intermediate tyres. Leclerc still drove on in his damaged car for four corners until being asked to park his car by the team, which the stewards didn't take kindly to.
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