FIA Hands Oscar Piastri Major Penalty Following Controversial Safety Car Incident with Max Verstappen at British GP.
The FIA has issued a significant penalty to McLaren Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri following a controversial incident involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The incident occurred during the second safety car restart, a critical phase of the race when drivers are expected to maintain a steady pace behind the safety car. Piastri, who had been in a strong position, abruptly slowed down while under the safety car, catching Verstappen off guard and causing confusion within the pack.
Race stewards launched an investigation immediately after the incident and concluded that Piastri’s actions were in violation of safety car restart procedures. As a result, the McLaren driver was hit with a 10-second time penalty — a harsh but deliberate decision by the FIA meant to reinforce the importance of maintaining safe and consistent behavior under neutralized race conditions.
This penalty could have a serious impact on Piastri’s final race standing and potentially derail his hopes for a podium or victory at Silverstone. The timing of the penalty also drew attention, as Piastri had been in close contention with front-runners and was showcasing strong race pace before the restart incident.
While McLaren has yet to release a formal response, the team may consider appealing the decision depending on how the penalty affects Piastri’s final classification. Meanwhile, Verstappen avoided any repercussions from the incident and continued with his race unaffected, though he appeared visibly frustrated at the time.
The decision by the FIA underscores their commitment to strict enforcement of safety protocols, particularly under the safety car, where even minor infractions can have major consequences in a tightly contested race.
