During the Belgian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri received a 10-second time penalty for braking excessively under the Safety Car restart on Lap 22. The FIA stewards determined that his actions forced Max Verstappen to react abruptly, citing Article 55.15 of the Sporting Regulations, which forbids erratic or dangerous driving during Safety Car periods. This penalty shifted Piastri behind his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, after the final pit stops, awarding Norris his first home grand prix victory and leaving Piastri in second place.

Mixed Reactions Among Drivers and Experts to the Penalty

While Piastri, the McLaren team, and many within the paddock criticized the penalty as overly harsh, former racer Mick Schumacher did not hold back in his assessment. Speaking on Sky Deutschland, Schumacher said, “The penalty was definitely deserved.” He added that Piastri’s attempt to challenge Verstappen was excessive:

“He tried, wanted to show Max that he could do it too. It was too much.”

Schumacher went further, remarking,

“I don’t want to say dirty, but it was dirty in any case.”

These comments came shortly after Jacques Villeneuve, another former world champion, described Piastri as “nasty” following an earlier collision with Norris at the Canadian Grand Prix. However, some other former F1 drivers offered a more balanced view of the incident.

Insights from Former Formula 1 Drivers on Safety Car Rules

David Coulthard, analyzing the situation on Channel 4, emphasized the complexity involved in leading the field during Safety Car restarts. He explained that drivers must maintain a distance of about 10 car lengths behind the Safety Car with the lights off, controlling the pace until the Safety Car exits. Coulthard said,

“When you’re behind the safety car with the lights off, you have to stay within 10 car lengths of that safety car, keeping the field going with you.”

Coulthard highlighted that Piastri’s acceleration followed by sudden deceleration caught Verstappen off guard. He noted,

“Max has got space, it’s not like he’s on the grass, but that was enough for them to go, that’s erratic behaviour behind the safety car, and that’s why they’ve given the 10-second penalty.”

Despite acknowledging the penalty’s rationale, Coulthard expressed skepticism about its severity:

“Do I think the penalty fits the crime? No… He hasn’t forced anyone off the road, seeing it from Max’s point of view, he hasn’t had to lock up, he hasn’t had to take massive avoiding action, I’m forever going to think that’s harsh until someone convinces me otherwise.”

Technical Analysis Supports the Stewards’ Decision

Anthony Davidson from Sky Sports F1 provided detailed telemetry insights during his post-race analysis. He described the moment as critical due to the unusual timing of the Safety Car lights going out, which contributed to Verstappen’s surprise reaction. Davidson said,

“This is the critical moment… Safety Car disappears momentarily, Verstappen thinks ‘I get a bit of heat in the rear tyres’ at this point, and then out of nowhere, the McLaren starts to come at you.”

He agreed with the stewards by calling Piastri’s driving “slightly erratic.”

Martin Brundle, commenting live during the Sky Sports broadcast, also backed the penalty but hinted that lesser sanctions could be considered. He noted,

“They need mitigating circumstances to drop that [penalty] to five seconds, or indeed no penalty at all.”

Brundle pointed out Piastri’s very slow pace during the incident, stating,

“He was almost stationary, wasn’t he? I hear what Zak [Brown] is saying, Max did floor it down the outside to emphasise, but that was extremely slow from Oscar.”

Oscar Piastri Voices Frustration Over the Penalty

Known for maintaining composure in interviews, Piastri showed his irritation immediately after the race, first on team radio and then during his television interview. On the radio, he joked,

“I think I’ll get myself banned for the year if I say anything here.”

Addressing the penalty on Sky Sports, he questioned the new regulations:

“Apparently you can’t brake behind the Safety Car anymore. I did it for five laps before.”

He added,

“I don’t really understand. I need to look back and see. I really don’t think I did anything different or anything wrong.”

Implications for Championship Standings and Future Races

Despite the setback in Belgium, Oscar Piastri continues to lead the Drivers’ Standings, retaining an eight-point advantage over teammate Lando Norris. The controversial Safety Car penalty has injected tension within the McLaren team and raised debates over Safety Car rules enforcement. As the season progresses, how stewards interpret the regulations and how drivers adjust to these rulings could significantly influence race strategies and championship battles.