Oscar Piastri has expressed surprise at why FIA stewards decided not to penalize Charles Leclerc for a controversial clash during the Belgian Grand Prix, despite the McLaren driver suffering significant floor damage that put his race in jeopardy. The incident, which unfolded on lap eight at Les Combes, saw Piastri attempt a bold move around the outside of Leclerc, only for the two to make contact – an episode that left Piastri questioning the consistency and logic behind running races at the highest level.
The battle for position was fierce as Piastri in the McLaren MCL40 tried to overtake the Ferrari of Leclerc at the corner. Leclerc defended strongly, and his cars touched early in the braking zone. While Leclerc continued without damage and eventually finished second, Piastri’s car was damaged, leaving him fifth at the checkered flag, crossing the line 16 seconds behind the Ferrari.
Immediately after the incident, Piastri expressed his disappointment on the team radio, saying, “He didn’t leave enough space, it could have been a big accident.” Race Control immediately reviewed the clash but decided that no further action was required. Speaking to the media gathered at Spa, including PlanetF1.com, Piastri did not hide his disappointment: “I mean, from where I was sitting, I was on the white line and was pinned, and we were very lucky at first not to have a big crash because we touched the wheels at the beginning of the braking zone. I don’t really know where I should have gone.”
Piastri further elaborated, “I wasn’t saying it necessarily needed a penalty, but at least a black and white flag, or something like that. Because if we think it’s OK, it’s one thing to have touches like that, but even the incentive of knowing that you can leave someone the minimum amount of space and get away with it, that’s not the best place to be.”
The FIA later released a detailed statement of its decision, investigating the accident under Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2(d) of the International Sporting Code. The stewards concluded, “On approaching Turn 5, car 81 (Piastri) moved forward to overtake car 16 (Leclerc) on the outside. Car 81 had some overlap on car 16, but the front axle of car 81 was not ahead of the front axle of car 16 and there was no possibility of car 81 completing the overtake from that position. In the stewards’ determination, car 16 Car 81 did not intentionally run into the crowd. The side of the track followed the racing line before entering Turn 5 and moved slightly to the left of the opening for Turn 5, and side-to-side contact occurred between the two cars, with the stewards deciding to take no further action.
With Leclerc moving up to second and Piastri fifth, the collision and its fallout have reignited the debate over the consistency of management decisions in Formula 1 – an issue that continues to generate heated discussion throughout the paddock.
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