Piastri letting rivals ‘do the talking’ on controversial Brazilian GP penalty

Oscar Piastri’s 10-second penalty in Brazil cost him 24 championship points and shifts betting value toward Lando Norris for the title; punters should consider hedged bets — back Norris for outright success while using each-way or podium markets for Piastri, and avoid large stakes on incident-sensitive markets until stewarding consistency is clarified.

Piastri’s Brazilian penalty reshapes McLaren title fight

Lining up fourth for an early Safety Car restart at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri attempted an inside pass on Kimi Antonelli into Turn 1. Contact sent Antonelli into Charles Leclerc, leaving Leclerc with a damaged Ferrari and forced retirement. Stewards assessed Piastri as “wholly responsible” and handed a 10-second penalty that cost the Australian valuable championship ground.

What the stewards said

The official ruling cited the Driving Standard Guidelines: Piastri’s “front axle was not alongside the mirror” of Antonelli’s car and he “locked the brakes,” which by the letter of the rules placed responsibility on the Australian. The penalty left Piastri 24 points adrift of team-mate Lando Norris with only three race weekends remaining.

Drivers’ reactions and fallout

Piastri defended his racecraft and pointed out that several rivals had publicly backed him. “A lot of people have done the talking for me,” he said, adding that he welcomed further discussion with the FIA to understand the decision. Charles Leclerc described the incident as more of a 50:50 situation, arguing Antonelli was aware of Piastri on the inside and sharing blame. Carlos Sainz condemned the penalty as “unacceptable,” insisting Piastri could not reasonably have avoided the collision.

Championship implications

The sanction is more than symbolic: it materially reduced Piastri’s title prospects and strengthened Norris’s position. With a 24-point swing and only three race weekends left, McLaren’s internal title battle becomes tighter on strategy and consistency — and more reliant on avoiding stewarding setbacks.

Drivers’ briefing and potential rule clarification

Piastri indicated the incident will be raised in drivers’ briefings with the FIA in Las Vegas as teams and drivers seek clarity on how the rules are being interpreted. Any adjustment in guidance or policing of wheel-to-wheel incidents could affect racecraft and defensive/offensive driving approaches for the remainder of the season.

Las Vegas Grand Prix: What to know ahead of the F1 weekend

Betting implications

For punters, the ruling increases the appeal of backing Norris for the championship while suggesting a cautious approach to bets on Piastri for outright wins. Consider hedged positions — each-way or podium markets for Piastri, smaller stakes on incident-dependent markets, and avoiding large single bets that hinge on stewarding interpretations remaining inconsistent.

"When one of my fellow drivers is involved in the accident and says it's not your fault, I think that's a pretty good indication."

Planet F1