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Why Oscar Piastri was penalised for F1 Brazil GP clash

The FIA stewards have explained the 10-second penalty for Oscar Piastri as they blamed the McLaren driver for causing a three-car collision during the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc.

On a lap six safety car restart, fourth-placed Piastri went down the inside of Antonelli and Leclerc to make it three-wide into Turn 1, as he aimed to clear the pair and start chasing leader Lando Norris. As Piastri locked up his front-left tyre and he slid into Antonelli, which left the Italian sandwiched in between the McLaren and Leclerc's Ferrari, and the contact with Piastri punted Antonelli into the side of Leclerc.

The Ferrari driver came off worst by losing his front-left tyre and suffering terminal suspension damage, while both Piastri and Antonelli escaped without damage.

Upon review the FIA's race stewards felt Piastri was fully to blame for the incident and handed him a 10-second penalty to be taken at his first pitstop, which eventually dropped him from second to fifth. Piastri also received two penalty points on his licence.

(Photo by: Mark Thompson - Getty Images)

In their verdict the stewards judged Piastri wasn't far enough alongside Antonelli to be claiming the corner, and they also noted the Australian locked up as he tried to back out of the move.

"At the safety car restart on Lap 6, Car 81 (Oscar Piastri) attempted to overtake Car 12 (Kimi Antonelli) on the inside of Turn 1," the statement read. "In doing so, PIA did not establish the required overlap prior to and at the apex, as his front axle was not alongside the mirror of Car 12, as defined in the Driving Standard Guidelines for overtaking on the inside of a corner.

"PIA locked the brakes as he attempted to avoid contact by slowing, but was unable to do so and made contact with ANT. This contact caused ANT to make secondary contact with Car 16 (Charles Leclerc), who was positioned on the outside and was forced to retire from the race as a result.

"PIA was therefore wholly responsible for the collision. A 10-second time penalty and 2 penalty points are considered appropriate and consistent with recent precedents."

By dropping to fifth at the finish, Piastri saw his gap to McLaren team-mate and title rival Norris grow to 24 points with three rounds remaining, as Norris claimed his seventh grand prix win of 2025.

Photos from Sao Paulo GP - Race

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Maisa Silva

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Location on the wall in the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Location on the wall in the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Egle Ruskyte looks on in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Medina arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Alex Pereira arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Rayssa Leal arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Rubens Barrichello looks on in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Alex Pereira and Sergio Aguero in front of the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Prates visits the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Alexandre Pato and Rebeca Abravanel in the Alpine F1 garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Fans

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

The drivers parade

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

A quartet of Embraer EMB-312 Super Tucanos fly over the circuit

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Alexander Albon, Williams, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Bernie Ecclestone looks on on the grid

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Marshal recovers a tyre carcass from the track

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Mark Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Formula 1
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