In a Lap 6 race restart melee at Interlagos, Piastri made it three-wide entering the Senna S with Mercedes rookie Antonelli in the middle and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on the outside.
Piastri locked up and clipped the left rear corner of Antonelli’s car, which sent him into Leclerc. Damage to Leclerc’s left front suspension forced him to retire.
Piastri was given a 10-second penalty and stung two penalty points on his licence for his role in the clash.
“Car 81 (Oscar Piastri) attempted to overtake Car 12 (Kimi Antonelli) on the inside of Turn 1,” the stewards report read in part.
“In doing so, PIA did not establish the required overlap prior to and at the apex, as his front axle as not alongside the mirror of Car 12, as defined in the Driving Standard Guidelines for overtaking on the inside of a corner.
“PIA locked the brakes as he attempted to avoid contact by slowing, but was unable to do so and made contact with ANT.
“This contact caused ANT to make secondary contact with Car 16 (Charles Leclerc), who was positioned on the outside and was forced to retire from the race as a result.
“PIA was therefore wholly responsible for the collision. A 10-second time penalty and 2 penalty points are considered appropriate and consistent with recent precedents.”
A closer look at the race restart 👀
Onboard with Leclerc then Piastri 🎥#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/nvxMQQ2fY4
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 9, 2025
The penalty put paid to Piastri’s hopes of a podium, ultimately finishing fifth and 15 seconds in arrears of McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
Piastri bemoaned the penalty. Having put his car hard up against the inside kerb, the Australian saw no option but to make contact believing he had been squeezed by Antonelli.
Replays showed at least a car’s width between Antonelli and Leclerc, and the Monegasque even sympathised with Piastri over the incident.
“I do agree, we have a rule book and I think… the stewards are always trying to do their best to look at the rule book and to try understand who is the one to blame,” said Leclerc.
“In this case, I really think Kimi knew and was aware that Oscar was on the inside.
“Yes, he was not side-by-side, which is the way it’s written in the rule book, but you cannot really do a corner like nobody is on the inside if someone is on the inside, no matter how far [up] he is.
“So, for me, it is a bit more of a fifty-fifty blame with Kimi and Oscar. I don’t think Oscar deserved all the blame there.”
Disagree with that penalty for Piastri – He’s alongside in the braking zone; Antonelli has the real estate to get through side-by-side, because Leclerc gives him big space on the inside.
— Alex Brundle (@AlexBrundle) November 9, 2025
Terrible outcome for CL…penalty for OP was wrong…OP was up the inside…realised KA was turning down to close the gap…slightly locked the inside wheel but maintained control and made the apex. Always looks worse for the overtaker…KA should have given room to avoid contact.
— Mark Skaife (@Mark_Skaife) November 9, 2025
Antonelli, however, said Piastri wasn’t fully alongside under brakes.
“I tried my best to give space to both,” said Antonelli.
“Then, to be fair, I didn’t really see the crash. I just know Oscar locked up.
“Just at the apex I got hit.”
Chaos at the race restart! #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/isqw82KVJo
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 9, 2025
Jolyon Palmer, former F1 driver turned commentator, also sympathised with Piastri and criticised stewards for their application of the rules.
During the race, Palmer said it was a racing incident and doubled down on his assessment.
“Come on, the guidelines, you can’t stick so rigidly to them because you’ve got to look at why they’re there in the position they are,” said Palmer.
“I think the stewards would probably say at that point – which is what we’re trying to be consistent about – this is the situation, but it’s the situation because, as Charles said, Kimi is turning across.
“He’s put the frightener on Oscar, which is why he has reacted in the way he did to avoid a crash, not cause a crash. That’s the tricky thing.
“Kimi is turning in towards an apex as well. I don’t think Oscar is barrelling in at a silly amount of speed and is going to wash super wide. I think he’ll be very unhappy about the penalty.”
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