FIA confirms Oscar Piastri punishment after Liam Lawson investigation
Oscar Piastri has been penalised for impeding Liam Lawson in qualifying at Monza
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has been hit with a three-place grid penalty by the FIA stewards after impeding Red Bull’s Liam Lawson in Italian Grand Prix qualifying.
The decision sees Piastri drop from third to sixth on the grid with Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen all gaining a place.
FIA issues Oscar Piastri grid penalty after Liam Lawson impeding at Italian GP
Lawson encountered a slow-moving Piastri at the first chicane on his final lap of Q2, with the Red Bull driver failing to reach the final stage of qualifying.
Both drivers were summoned to the stewards after the session, with Piastri handed a three-place grid drop. He will now start Sunday’s race from sixth on the grid.
Leclerc has moved up to third, with Hamilton and Verstappen now set to start fourth and fifth respectively.
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The stewards’ verdict read: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 81 (Oscar Piastri), the driver of Car 30 (Liam Lawson), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence.
“On leaving the pits, the driver of Car 81 was advised that ‘Verstappen, Lawson and Sainz just crossing, Sainz has pitted, Just Verstappen and Lawson, watch out for them as you join.’
“The driver of Car 81 stated that he was not alerted to the fact that VER and LAW were on push laps but realised as he was almost at turn 1 that VER was on a push lap.
“He slowed significantly and kept to the right to allow VER to pass but was unable to do anything to avoid impeding LAW who was close behind.
“The Stewards accept that with the information he had, and the situation he was placed in, the driver of Car 81 had, at this stage, no other options available and hence, inadvertently, and also unnecessarily, impeded Car 30.
“Therefore the standard penalty of a drop of 3 grid positions is imposed.”
Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets before the decision was announced, Piastri was asked about the moment with Lawson.
He replied: “I was coming out of the pits.
“The speed difference out of the pits is so big here, so I don’t really know where he came from. I need to review with the team.”
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly will start the Italian Grand Prix from pole position after the French driver caused an upset in qualifying on Saturday.
Gasly claimed his only career victory at Monza in 2020.
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
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