Max Verstappen has labeled the 10-second penalty imposed on Oscar Piastri during the British Grand Prix as “strange,” raising concerns about the consistency of stewarding decisions in Formula 1. The McLaren driver, who was on course for a potential victory, was penalized for a Safety Car infringement, a decision that sparked debate among drivers, teams, and fans.
The incident occurred when Piastri, leading the pack behind the Safety Car, braked sharply, causing Verstappen to briefly overtake him. Telemetry data revealed Piastri applied 59.2 psi of brake pressure, dropping his speed from 218kph to 52kph, which the stewards deemed erratic driving. The resulting 10-second penalty cost Piastri a potential win, handing the victory to his teammate Lando Norris.
Verstappen, who experienced a similar incident with George Russell at the Canadian Grand Prix without penalty, expressed his surprise at the decision. “It has happened to me a few times, this kind of scenario. I find it strange that Oscar is the first to receive 10 seconds for it,” Verstappen told media after the race. He added, “I only found out after the race that he got one. No one told me during the race.”
The Red Bull driver also referenced the Canadian Grand Prix, where Russell’s sudden braking did not result in a penalty, despite Red Bull’s protest. “I think, well, clearly to the stewards, yes,” Verstappen responded when asked if Piastri’s actions were significantly different from Russell’s.
The penalty had a ripple effect on Verstappen’s race as well. Caught out by Piastri’s abrupt slowdown, Verstappen spun on cold tires at Stowe, dropping to 11th before recovering to finish fifth. “It caught me out on cold tyres,” he explained, though he dismissed suggestions that Piastri’s actions directly caused his spin. “I don’t think so,” he said when asked if the incident impacted his loss of control on the Hangar Straight.
Piastri, visibly disappointed, felt the penalty was harsh, noting he had performed similar actions during previous Safety Car restarts without issue. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella echoed this sentiment, calling the penalty “harsh” and questioning its fairness.
The controversy has reignited discussions about stewarding consistency in Formula 1, with Verstappen and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner pointing to the Russell incident as evidence of uneven rule enforcement. “The controversy surrounding Piastri’s penalty and the perceived inconsistency in steward decisions have ignited debate in the Formula 1 community,” noted a report from Motorcyclesports.net.