McLaren’s Andrea Stella Criticizes Oscar Piastri’s Penalty in Brazil GP
McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella has expressed his belief that Oscar Piastri received a “harsh” penalty during the Brazil Grand Prix. He argued that the responsibility for the incident should not rest solely on Piastri, suggesting that Kimi Antonelli was also at fault.
The controversy arose when Piastri collided with Antonelli while attempting to take second place down the inside of Turn 1 at Interlagos, with three cars side by side. As a result, Piastri was handed an additional 10 seconds, which significantly impacted his race finish.
The stewards determined that Piastri was “wholly responsible for the collision,” citing that he wasn’t fully alongside Antonelli and had locked up during the maneuver. However, Piastri and Leclerc have both voiced their disagreement with the decision. Leclerc reportedly remarked that Antonelli “did the corner like Oscar was never there,” a sentiment that Stella echoed.
“In terms of the penalty, I would say that was definitely on the harsh side,” Stella said. “Oscar it’s true we see a little lock-up, but at the same time he’s able to maintain the trajectory, which is ultimately what counts.
“I think the responsibility should be shared with Kimi, because Kimi kind of knew that Oscar was on the inside and the collision probably could have been avoided; perhaps Kimi was also worried of having Leclerc on the outside – a difficult situation, obviously.”
Despite the penalty, Piastri finished fifth in the race. His teammate and title rival, Lando Norris, won from pole position, giving him a 24-point lead in the championship with three rounds remaining.
This marks a significant turnaround for Norris, who had a 34-point deficit after the Zandvoort Grand Prix. In the six races since then, he has secured two wins and three additional podiums, compared to no victories and just one podium for Piastri.
When asked if it was now Norris’s title to lose, Stella responded with a focus on the immediate future rather than speculation about the championship.
“For me, the only way I look at the classification is to go one race at a time and make sure that we maximise the points we score.
“While it could be a good exercise to talk about Formula 1, which is fair, to look at the combination, ‘It’s now a championship that Lando owns, he doesn’t own’… it’s so academic.
“From a driver’s point of view, team point of view, we just have to make sure that we stay focused on ourselves and focused on executing weekends like Lando has executed here in Brazil or in Mexico.
“And for instance with Oscar, make sure that our opportunities are capitalised. Honestly, when it comes to the points, we will take a look at the end of Vegas and we will see where we are – and likewise after Qatar and Abu Dhabi.”
Key Points from the Brazil GP Incident
- The incident involved Piastri, Antonelli, and Charles Leclerc.
- Piastri was penalized with an extra 10 seconds due to the collision.
- The stewards ruled that Piastri was wholly responsible for the incident.
- Both Piastri and Leclerc disputed the decision, with Leclerc stating that Antonelli “did the corner like Oscar was never there.”
- Stella suggested that the penalty was harsh and that responsibility should be shared with Antonelli.
- Despite the penalty, Piastri finished fifth, while Norris won the race and extended his championship lead.
