Oscar Piastri Furious After Controversial FIA Penalty at 2025 British GP

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri expressed his frustration in five powerful words – “I didn’t get what I deserved” – following a contentious 10-second penalty that cost him victory at the 2025 British Grand Prix. The Australian driver, who led much of the race in challenging wet-dry conditions, was penalized for an alleged safety car infringement on lap 21, handing the win to teammate Lando Norris.

The incident occurred during a safety car restart on the Hangar Straight, where Piastri, leading the pack, suddenly braked, reducing his speed from 218 km/h to 52 km/h with 59.2 psi of brake pressure, according to the FIA stewards. This forced second-placed Max Verstappen to take evasive action, briefly overtaking Piastri before immediately yielding the position back. The stewards deemed Piastri’s maneuver a “clear breach” of Article 55.15 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, which prohibits erratic braking or maneuvers likely to endanger other drivers once the safety car lights are extinguished.

Piastri, visibly upset, argued the penalty was unfair, stating, “I did what I did at the first restart, and apparently one needed a penalty and the other didn’t.” He suggested the timing of the safety car lights going out, which he described as “extremely late,” contributed to the confusion. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella echoed Piastri’s sentiments, calling the penalty “harsh” and noting the late safety car call-in exacerbated the situation. Despite considering an appeal, McLaren ultimately decided to “take it on the chin,” as Stella put it.

The penalty, served during Piastri’s final pit stop, dropped him behind Norris, who clinched his first home Grand Prix victory, reducing Piastri’s championship lead to just eight points. Verstappen, who spun out shortly after the incident, recovered to fifth but called the penalty “extreme,” noting similar incidents had previously gone unpunished.

Piastri’s frustration was palpable post-race. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, he restrained himself to avoid further trouble, saying, “I’m not going to say much, I’ll get myself in trouble.” However, in the press conference, he elaborated, “It hurts, especially when it’s not in your control. I drove a really strong race.” Fans on X echoed his sentiments, with one post stating, “Oscar has every right to feel angry. His frustrations are completely valid when he led almost the entire race, only to have it taken by a harsh penalty.”

The controversy has sparked debate over FIA consistency, with Red Bull’s Christian Horner referencing a similar unpunished incident involving George Russell in Canada. As the 2025 season reaches its midpoint, Piastri remains focused, vowing to channel his determination into upcoming races, starting with Spa-Francorchamps in three weeks.