Source: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
[Saba Sports News] At the Silverstone Circuit, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri had a good chance to win his first race in the UK, but he was penalized 10 seconds for a sudden brake during a safety car period, costing him the victory and sparking controversy. At one point, Piastri was leading Max Verstappen by 13 seconds, but after Isack Hadjar collided with Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the rain, the safety car was deployed. As the safety car was about to return to the track, Piastri suddenly braked, forcing Verstappen to make an emergency maneuver, nearly causing a collision. The officials ruled that Piastri violated the rules by driving unstably and making an inappropriate brake under the safety car, resulting in a 10-second penalty and a deduction of two super license points. This penalty dropped him from first place to second, handing the victory to his teammate Lando Norris. After the race, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher openly accused Piastri of having an unsporting driving style, escalating the incident. Ralf Schumacher said Piastri deserved the punishment, believing he intentionally braked before the restart to cause Verstappen to make a mistake. Another focus of the incident was Verstappen’s super license points. He was already docked points in Austria, and he now has 9 points. If he loses 3 more points, he will face a ban. If Piastri’s braking had caused an accident, it could have put Verstappen in a difficult situation.