Lando Norris under fire for light punishment in Oscar Piastri collision debacle
In a shocking turn of events at the Formula 1 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, Lando Norris faced backlash for the seemingly lenient punishment he received from the FIA stewards after colliding with Oscar Piastri. The incident, which occurred when Norris attempted a daring overtake on the pit straight, resulted in Piastri’s race-ending crash into the wall due to terminal damage.
Despite taking full responsibility for the collision and expressing his apologies to Piastri, Norris only received a five-second penalty from the stewards. Surprisingly, he managed to avoid being issued a penalty point on his superlicence, leaving many drivers and fans bewildered as this deviates from the usual penalty protocol.
F1 journalist Ewan Gale criticized the decision, deeming Norris’s punishment inadequate, stating, “It wasn’t a driving standards issue. It was a misjudgement rather than an egregious incident.” Gale emphasized the importance of consistency in penalties and highlighted the absence of a penalty point as a significant oversight in this case.
While some argue that Norris’s failure to finish the race was punishment enough, others, like F1 expert Brandon Sutton, believe that the consequences were not severe considering the impact on his championship standings. Sutton suggested that losing 12 points to his title rival was punishment in itself, rendering an additional penalty unnecessary.
The disparity in punishments within the FIA came to light when comparing Norris’s minimal penalty points to Max Verstappen’s 11 points on his superlicence. Verstappen, who was on the brink of a race ban, questioned the leniency shown towards Norris despite being found guilty of causing a collision.
Furthermore, Sutton criticized the FIA’s inconsistency in handling safety car infringements, citing a lack of clearly defined rules and regulations as a contributing factor. The evolving nature of racing guidelines, coupled with rotational driver stewards and frequent changes in race directors, has led to frustration among drivers and fans regarding the lack of consistency in penalties.
As the debate rages on in the F1 community, questions surrounding fairness, transparency, and consistency in penalty enforcement continue to loom large, raising concerns about the integrity of the sport and the need for a more standardized approach to disciplinary actions.
