Ahead of the F1 Belgian GP, Oscar Piastri has offered his most candid reflection on his controversial weekend in Silverstone, where a 10-second time penalty that sparked debate overshadowed his remarkable drive to second place.
A race of two halves
Starting from second on the grid behind Max Verstappen’s pole-sitting Red Bull, Piastri found himself at the centre of one of the season’s most thrilling races. The McLaren driver’s aggressive early move on Verstappen at the Hangar Straight on lap 7 demonstrated the confidence, taking the lead with a decisive overtake. Piastri quickly built a commanding two-second gap over the reigning world champion.
However, the changeable British weather would prove to be the defining factor of Piastri’s afternoon. As rain systems moved across Silverstone, the race transformed into a chess match between teams gambling on tyre choices and track conditions. The McLaren squad’s double-stack pit stop under the early rain conditions cost valuable track position, with teammate Lando Norris suffering particularly from a lengthy stop.
The safety car controversy
The incident that would ultimately define Piastri’s F1 race in Silverstone occurred during one of several safety car periods. Race stewards deemed that the Australian had driven erratically under safety car conditions, coming to an almost complete stop on track when the safety car lights went out. The resulting 10-second time penalty in Silverstone would prove costly, though remarkably, Piastri’s pace throughout the remainder of the race was sufficient to maintain his podium position despite the sanction.
The penalty decision divided opinion in the paddock, with many questioning the consistency of stewarding decisions regarding safety car procedures. Piastri’s frustration was evident in his driving style following the penalty, as he pushed his McLaren to its limits whilst battling for position.
Learning and moving forward
Speaking to the media ahead of the F1 Belgian GP, Piastri offered his most detailed reflection on the Silverstone incident. When asked about his review of the safety car situation, the McLaren driver demonstrated both maturity and pragmatism in his response.
“I obviously looked through it with the team afterwards, and I think there’s been a lot of learning on both sides,” Piastri explained. “I think for me, I still have my feelings about it, I guess, but it’s in the past now, and I’ve moved on. But yeah, I think for me, it was a manoeuvre that had been done before by myself in some cases, but other drivers as well in the past, in an identical manner.”
The 24-year-old’s comments reveal the ongoing debate within the sport about the consistency of penalty decisions. He highlighted his frustration with stewarding decisions by pointing out that similar manoeuvres had gone unpunished in the past.
“Obviously, if it needs to be penalised now, then that’s fine, I know that for the future,” Piastri continued. “But yeah, obviously, immediately after the race, I was frustrated.”
Clarity for the future
Despite his initial frustration, Piastri’s approach to the situation demonstrates the pragmatic mindset that has served him in the championship fight. When pressed about potential future safety car restarts, the Australian confirmed that discussions with the FIA had provided the clarity needed to avoid similar situations.
“We’ve had discussions with the FIA, and like I said, I think there was learning on both sides about how that situation could have been handled differently,” Piastri revealed. “So for myself, I won’t break his heart next time, it’s as simple as that. And I think also now the threshold I guess is a bit clearer on where that stands, so I’ll just simply not break his heart.”
