Piastri: McLaren swap ‘wouldn’t have been fair’ after penalty

Oscar Piastri conceded that his mid-race request for McLaren to implement team orders at the British Grand Prix "wouldn't have been fair" to his teammate Lando Norris, despite his belief at the time that the penalty which cost him the lead was unjust.

The Australian looked set for a commanding win at Silverstone before being handed a 10-second penalty for an infringement under the safety car.

Piastri had slowed significantly on the Hangar Straight just as the safety car lights were turned off to signal a restart on lap 21, which caused Max Verstappen to briefly overtake him before returning the position. The stewards judged Piastri’s actions to be erratic and penalized him accordingly.

The penalty, served during his pit stop from the lead, dropped him behind Norris, who then went on to win the race — trimming Piastri’s advantage in the drivers’ championship to just eight points.

“I knew what the answer was going to be”

Feeling wronged by the stewards' decision, Piastri quickly asked his team whether Norris could be instructed to let him back through. The request was made over team radio shortly after he rejoined the track behind his teammate.

“I don't think the penalty before was very fair,” Piastri said. “I know it's a big question, but if you don't think it was fair either, I think we should swap back and race.”

But McLaren declined the request. Later, speaking to reporters, Piastri admitted that even as he asked, he didn’t really expect a different outcome:

“I thought I would ask the question,” he said. “I knew what the answer was going to be before I asked, but I just wanted a small glimmer of hope that maybe I could get it back. But no, I knew it wasn't going to happen.”

With the benefit of hindsight, Piastri accepted that it would not have been justifiable to ask Norris to give up the lead, especially as his teammate had done nothing wrong.

“I don't think there's anything wrong with it,” he said. “Lando didn't do anything wrong. So I don't think it would have been particularly fair to have swapped.”

Frustration Eases with Perspective

Piastri’s frustration was evident in the immediate aftermath of the race. He cut a disappointed figure on the podium and avoided interacting with Norris during the post-race press conference. His early disappointment, however, eventually gave way to a more reflective and composed outlook.

“It doesn't change much for the championship,” he said. “I feel like I did a good job today, and I’ll use the frustration to make sure I win some more races later.

“It obviously hurts at the moment. It's a different hurt though, because I know I deserved a lot more than what I got today. I drove a really strong race, and when you don't get the result you think you deserve, it hurts, especially when it's not in your control.”

While he offered congratulations to Norris after the race, Piastri seemed to deliberately shift focus during media duties. In a light-hearted moment during the press conference, he directed a question to third-place finisher Nico Hülkenberg, who had finally claimed his first Formula 1 podium after 239 race starts:

“I have a question for Nico: how does it feel after 15 years of F1 to get on the podium, and the trophy is made out of LEGO that you can pull apart?”

Hülkenberg responded in kind: “I love LEGO. It's good, my daughter can play with it. You're always going to see the bright side, but a bit of silver or gold would have been nice too.”

Focus Shifts to the Championship Fight

Despite the setback, Piastri remains at the top of the standings – but his cushion over Norris has now narrowed to just eight points, with both McLaren drivers firmly in the championship hunt.

While the controversial penalty overshadowed what was otherwise a commanding performance from the Australian, Piastri’s willingness to accept the outcome – and resist pointing fingers – showed a maturity that will be crucial as the title fight heats up in the second half of the season.

• Read also: Piastri anger bubbles to the surface after contentious penalty

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