FIA confirm controversial McLaren penalty after high drama i….read more
Oscar Piastri of McLaren received a controversial penalty from the FIA following an incident during the sprint race at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. The rookie driver from Australia, competing in his debut season for McLaren, was penalized for forcing Alpine’s Pierre Gasly off the track at Turn 12. After a review, the FIA handed Piastri a five-second penalty for the incident, which sparked heated debate.
This penalty added to the drama in Austin, where McLaren was determined to score valuable points in their ongoing battle with Red Bull for the constructors’ championship. Piastri’s weekend had already started on a challenging note when he qualified 16th after being eliminated in SQ1 on Friday for exceeding track limits. This poor grid position made his chances of a strong finish in the sprint race even more difficult.
Despite starting towards the back of the pack, Piastri pushed hard throughout the sprint, but his efforts were ultimately undone by the penalty. Only the top eight finishers in a sprint race are awarded points, and the penalty meant Piastri ended the race outside of that critical point-scoring zone. Though both he and his teammate Lando Norris finished in the top 10, Piastri left the sprint race empty-handed.
The incident between Piastri and Gasly became a major talking point following the race. Commentator Ted Kravitz humorously pointed out the confusion caused by Alpine’s special US GP livery, which closely resembled McLaren’s signature papaya colors. This similarity made it difficult for spectators to distinguish between the two cars involved in the incident.
McLaren’s frustrations with the penalty were magnified by the importance of every point in the constructors’ championship. The 2024 Formula 1 season has been one of intense competition, with McLaren fighting to keep up with Red Bull at the top of the standings. The loss of potential points due to Piastri’s penalty could prove costly in their effort to close the gap.
Despite this setback, McLaren remains optimistic about bouncing back in the main race. Both Piastri and Norris will need strong performances to minimize the damage and stay competitive against Red Bull. With the season reaching its critical stages, every race continues to carry significant stakes for McLaren as they strive to keep their championship hopes alive.
