Oscar Piastri's Win Overshadowed by Disqualification Drama as

Oscar Piastri’s Win Overshadowed by Disqualification Drama as Results Overturned After Spanish GP

Controversy erupts over Max Verstappen’s actions amid Piastri’s dominant performance

Oscar Piastri powered to a commanding victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday night, but the Australian’s fifth win of the season was quickly eclipsed by a storm of controversy involving Max Verstappen. Despite the triumph extending Piastri’s lead in the driver standings, the spotlight shifted to the Dutchman’s dramatic clash with George Russell.

Piastri led from pole to finish, holding off McLaren teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to secure McLaren’s seventh win in nine races this season. His latest win gives him a 10-point advantage over Norris in the standings.

However, the celebratory mood was dampened by a chaotic sequence involving Verstappen, who crossed the line in fifth place but was later demoted to 10th after race stewards handed him a 10-second penalty for a late-race collision with Russell.

Verstappen’s Collision Sparks Outrage

The incident unfolded following a late safety car with just five laps to go. Verstappen, running on hard tyres, found himself vulnerable to rivals on fresher, faster softs. He lost third place to Leclerc and veered off-track while defending from Russell.

Red Bull instructed Verstappen to allow Russell through, recognizing that the Mercedes driver was significantly quicker. Verstappen initially complied, only to accelerate and swerve into Russell as he attempted the overtake—a move many interpreted as deliberate retaliation.

It was Verstappen’s second collision with Russell in the race and followed a separate post-race investigation into an incident with Leclerc, for which no further action was taken. But the stewards ruled that the contact with Russell warranted a 10-second penalty.

Calls for Disqualification Grow Louder

F1 pundits and fans were left stunned by the decision to merely penalize Verstappen rather than disqualify him altogether. Former world champion Nico Rosberg didn’t mince words on Sky Sports:

> “It looked like a very intentional retaliation. Wait for your opponent, go ramming into him—just like you felt he did to you earlier. That should be a black flag. That’s seriously bad and extremely unacceptable.”

Verstappen, when asked post-race if the move was intentional, deflected:

> “Does it matter? I prefer to talk about the race rather than a single moment.”

Russell was equally shocked:

> “I’ve seen moves like that in simulator games or go-karts, not in F1. It felt deliberate. It’s disappointing, especially because it never seems to benefit him.”

Shakeup in Final Standings

Verstappen’s penalty had a ripple effect on the final classification. Nico Hülkenberg, Lewis Hamilton, Isack Hadjar, Pierre Gasly, and Fernando Alonso all gained a position and additional championship points. Instead of scoring 10 points for fifth place, Verstappen walked away with just a single point for finishing 10th.

McLaren On Fire: Piastri and Norris Deliver Again

Despite the off-track drama, it was another dominant display from McLaren. Piastri crossed the line 2.4 seconds ahead of Norris in what marked the team’s third 1-2 finish of the season.

“We executed everything perfectly,” Piastri said. “The pace was strong, and we responded well when needed. Winning races like this is a lot of fun.”

Norris praised his teammate while reflecting on his own performance:

“Oscar drove a very good race. I didn’t have the pace to match him, but I gave it everything. The restart after the safety car got a bit wild, but it was a good, fun race for the team.”