P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren hit out at “very harsh” penalty handed to F1 points leader Oscar Piastri.
McLaren believes the 10-second penalty imposed on Oscar Piastri at the British Grand Prix was “very harsh.” Piastri, the F1 championship leader, received the penalty for slowing abruptly before a Safety Car restart, ultimately losing the victory to McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
Team principal Andrea Stella expressed disappointment, stating that the stewards overlooked crucial factors in their decision-making process. Stella highlighted the late safety car withdrawal and the impact on brake and tire temperatures as significant considerations.
Piastri defended his actions, claiming he did not brake erratically and handled the situation similarly to previous restarts. The stewards justified the penalty by citing a breach of article 55.15 of the FIA Sporting Regulations.
While Red Bull’s Christian Horner supported the penalty, calling it justified, others, such as Max Verstappen, felt differently. Mercedes’ George Russell’s incident at the Canadian Grand Prix was mentioned in comparison to Piastri’s penalty, raising questions about consistency in officiating.
