Piastri handed 10-second penalty for Lindblad clash in Mexico

Oscar Piastri has been hit with a 10-second time penalty after the FIA stewards investigated his collision with Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad at the Mexican Grand Prix. The McLaren driver was judged to have caused the Lap 59 contact at Turn 1, which sent Lindblad into the Turn 2 barriers and triggered the second Safety Car of the day. Piastri had crossed the line seventh but the penalty drops him to P15 and out of the points.

Why it matters:

The decision changes the shape of Piastri’s race and removes a valuable points finish in a season where every position matters. It also sets a firm stewards’ marker on outside-line overtakes: being close is not enough to claim corner rights.

The details:

• Stewards found Piastri was “never fully alongside” Lindblad on the outside, so he had not earned the right to the corner.
• They accepted Lindblad defended by releasing the brakes but did not force Piastri off track, and was not required to leave room.
• The ruling said the collision could have been avoided if Piastri had moved further left after Turn 1, even if that meant leaving the track before Turn 2.
• Lindblad was unhurt and said he was committed to racing for the position after holding Piastri behind for more than 10 laps.
• Piastri felt he had nowhere to go; Nico Rosberg backed the penalty, saying Piastri should have backed out because the space belonged to Lindblad.

What's next:

The penalty is unlikely to be appealed successfully given the stewards’ clear wording. Piastri and McLaren must now reset quickly, with the championship picture already tightening around the final rounds of 2026.