Guenther Steiner Unleashes Fury on McLaren Over Piastri’s Controversial Brazil GP Penalty!
In a dramatic turn of events at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri’s title aspirations were dealt a devastating blow after the young McLaren driver received a harsh 10-second penalty that relegated him to fifth place. Guenther Steiner, the outspoken former Haas team principal, has now taken aim at McLaren for failing to defend Piastri against what he deems an unfair ruling by the FIA stewards. With tensions running high and championship stakes at play, Steiner isn’t holding back—he’s dubbed McLaren the ‘wanker’ of the race weekend for their lack of aggression in the face of adversity.
The incident unfolded during a nail-biting restart on Lap 6 when Piastri, along with Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, went three-wide into the first turn, battling fiercely for second position. Unfortunately, Piastri found himself forced onto the inside curb, leading to a wheel lock-up that resulted in a collision with Antonelli, who in turn impacted Leclerc. The outcome was disastrous: Leclerc’s race ended prematurely due to a suspension failure, while the stewards slapped Piastri with a penalty they deemed “wholly” justified.
However, even Leclerc himself has publicly exonerated Piastri, asserting that the blame should be shared among the drivers involved. “It’s a shame. Collateral damage of an incident between Oscar and Kimi where, in my opinion, Kimi was as much to blame as Oscar,” he stated, casting doubt on the stewards’ verdict.
McLaren’s response to the penalty has been one of reluctant acceptance. Team principal Andrea Stella described the ruling as “definitely on the harsh side” and voiced his belief that Kimi Antonelli also bore responsibility for the incident. “I think the responsibility should be shared with Kimi because Kimi kind of knew that Oscar was on the inside, and the collision probably could have been avoided,” Stella explained, emphasizing the complexity of the situation. Yet despite their criticism, McLaren chose not to confront the stewards, a move that Steiner found utterly baffling.
In a candid remarks during the Red Flags podcast, Steiner expressed his disbelief at McLaren’s passive approach, questioning, “Why don’t you go there and at least say something to the stewards?” He pointed out that even the driver most affected by the incident, Leclerc, acknowledged Piastri’s partial innocence. “I mean, at some stage, with all these rules and interpretations, where does racing end?” he lamented.
Steiner, who is no stranger to the pressures of team leadership, suggested that had he still been at the helm of a team during such a scenario, he would have gone to battle for his driver. “You need to fight for your team. You need to fight. Everything is a fight, and knowing you will lose a fight, but they still try,” he declared emphatically.
The fallout from this incident has significant implications, especially with only three races remaining in the season. Piastri now sits 24 points behind teammate Lando Norris, who has been crowned the ‘rockstar’ of the Sao Paulo GP by Steiner, showcasing the stark contrast in their fortunes.
As the drama unfolds in the high-stakes world of Formula 1, it’s clear that the controversy surrounding Piastri’s penalty and McLaren’s response is far from over. Will McLaren step up their game and fight for their drivers, or will they continue to accept decisions that could derail their championship hopes? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the tension is palpable, and the battle for the title is heating up!








