Explained: Why Piastri Was Penalized for the Antonelli Clash in São Paulo
Oscar Piastri’s promising race at the São Paulo Grand Prix unraveled after he was awarded a 10-second time penalty for a collision with Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. The incident, which occurred during a frantic midfield battle, was investigated by the FIA stewards, who ultimately deemed the McLaren driver « predominantly to blame » for the contact.
The penalty dropped Piastri out of a potential points-paying position and added another dramatic chapter to a chaotic race at Interlagos. Here is a breakdown of the incident and the official reasoning behind the penalty.
Deconstructing the Piastri-Antonelli Incident
The clash happened in the middle stages of the race as both drivers battled for position heading into the Senna ‘S’ (Turns 1 and 2). Piastri, on fresher tires, was attempting to make a pass on the inside of Antonelli.
As they entered the braking zone for Turn 1, Piastri made a late lunge, managing to get his car partially alongside the Mercedes. However, as they navigated the apex, Piastri appeared to lock up slightly and understeer, washing out wider than expected. This movement left insufficient space for Antonelli, who was holding his line on the outside.
The resulting contact saw Piastri’s front-left wheel hit the sidepod of Antonelli’s Mercedes, spinning the rookie around and forcing him off the track. While Piastri continued, Antonelli lost significant time and sustained minor floor damage.
The Stewards’ Official Verdict
After the race, the stewards summoned both drivers and reviewed telemetry and multiple video angles. In their official report, they concluded that Piastri was « predominantly to blame » for causing the collision.
The reasoning for the penalty hinged on two key factors:
- A « Late Lunge »: The stewards determined that Piastri had not established sufficient « significant overlap » before the turn-in point to be entitled to racing room. His move was considered an overly optimistic « dive-bomb. »
- Failure to Leave Space: In attempting the pass from that position, the onus was on Piastri (the overtaking car) to complete the move cleanly. By locking up and sliding into the Mercedes, he failed to maintain control of his car and did not leave Antonelli « a car’s width » of room on the outside, which the regulations require.
Because Antonelli was driving predictably and holding his line, the blame was placed squarely on Piastri for initiating the contact. The stewards issued a 10-second time penalty, which was added to his final race time, plus two penalty points on his Super Licence.
The Impact on the Race
For Piastri, the penalty was a costly end to his weekend. The 10 seconds added to his time dropped him from a potential P8 finish down to P13, outside of the points.
Kimi Antonelli’s race was also compromised. Though he recovered, the spin and subsequent damage meant he finished in P15. The incident marked a frustrating conclusion to a battle between two of the sport’s brightest young talents.
Sources
- FIA.com. « Stewards Decision Document – Car 81 (Piastri) / Car 12 (Antonelli). » (November 9, 2025).
- Sky Sports F1. « Piastri penalised after ‘desperate’ lunge on Antonelli in São Paulo. » (November 9, 2025).
- https://www.google.com/search?q=The-Race.com. « Stewards explain reasoning for Piastri’s race-ruining penalty. » (November 9, 2025).