Antonelli Disappointed with Piastri’s Move in Miami GP Sprint

Miami Grand Prix sprint race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli expressed his frustration after a controversial move by Oscar Piastri at the opening corner of the race. The incident left Antonelli irritated and disappointed that no penalty was imposed on Piastri.

Piastri’s Aggressive Move Costs Antonelli Places

In a damp start to the shorter race, Piastri managed a slightly better getaway off the line. This left Antonelli struggling to maintain his lead around the outside of the first corner. However, Piastri’s McLaren blocked Antonelli’s path into Turn 1, forcing him onto the run-off area and ceding two further places to Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Antonelli voiced his frustrations over the radio, feeling that he was pushed off the road by Piastri. The stewards deemed that Piastri had the right to the corner and took no further action, which left Antonelli sarcastically commenting ‘good to know’.

Toto Wolff Criticizes Current Driving Guidelines

Antonelli’s boss, Toto Wolff, criticized the current driving guidelines, stating that they are not ‘setting good precedents.’ He felt that it encourages drivers to simply come off the brakes and leave no room for other drivers.

Wolff added that Antonelli might have learned the harsh realities of Formula 1 in his first-corner exchange with Piastri, although he felt it shouldn’t have happened. He expressed his disapproval by stating, ‘I don’t think we are setting good precedents. You’re just releasing the brake and then you push the other guy off.’

Wolff also pointed out that similar incidents have been occurring in junior formulas as well, where drivers are encouraged to leave no space at Turn 1. He concluded by saying, ‘And it’s Kimi’s sixth race or whatever it is, and now he’s learned the lesson that this is what you need to do. So I’m not entirely agreeing with that, but maybe that’s how we’ve allowed it for a few years now.’

Photos from Miami GP – Sprint