In a recent performance during the Belgian Grand Prix, driver Oscar Piastri expressed his disapproval of the stewards’ decision not to penalize Charles Leclerc after a collision on the eighth lap of the race. Piastri, who was competing with his McLaren against Leclerc, confirmed that the situation warranted a warning, if not a more severe penalty.
During the race, Piastri attempted to pass Leclerc on the outside when both vehicles were in the braking zone of Les Combes. At that moment, Leclerc’s left rear wheel touched the right front wheel of the McLaren, causing damage to his car. Despite this, the stewards decided not to take action.
In the official statement from the stewards, it was explained that Piastri had not surpassed Leclerc’s position at the moment of the collision, and therefore, it was not considered that Leclerc had pushed Piastri off the track. The stewards concluded that there was no room for penalties in this incident.
Piastri, however, disagreed with this analysis and made his opinion known. ‘From my point of view, I was right on the white line and they squeezed me. I think we were lucky not to have a more serious accident,’ he commented. Additionally, he added that they should consider issuing a black and white flag to warn about such a risky situation.
Experts such as Juan Pablo Montoya have also commented on the issue, pointing out that Leclerc had the right to defend his position, but Piastri was on his trajectory and deserved more space. Montoya clarified that the racing rules allow for a certain margin, but acknowledged the gray area that exists in these situations.
At the end of the race, Leclerc managed to finish second, while Piastri, due to the damage, could only finish fifth. Piastri acknowledged that the damage to his aerodynamics affected his speed and ability to compete at a high level during the final laps.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
