Why Leclerc wasn’t penalised for clash with Piastri in Belgian GP

Charles Leclerc avoided a penalty for a clash with Oscar Piastri during the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix after the stewards judged the Ferrari driver didn’t deliberately instigate the contact.

On lap eight of the Spa-Francorchamps race, Leclerc and Piastri were battling for third place down the Kemmel Straight and into Les Combes. Under braking for the corner, Leclerc defended his position forcing the McLaren driver to go around the outside, with the gap subsequently closing and causing a glancing blow, with Piastri suffering car damage.

Over the team radio, Piastri blamed Leclerc for the clash, having been forced into avoiding action for what he feared was going to be a “massive crash”, and the incident was duly investigated by the stewards.

After a review of the video and in-car footage, the stewards opted for no further action, having felt Piastri had “no possibility” of completing the overtake from his position on the outside of Leclerc and that the Ferrari driver didn’t deliberately push his rival off the track as he was on the racing line.

Leclerc was duly able to continue unaffected and profited from a timely virtual safety car to cycle into the lead. But Kimi Antonelli’s superior pace saw him reel in the Monegasque and overtake him for the win, with the Ferrari driver having to settle for second place.

“On the approach to Turn 5, Car 81 moved to overtake Car 16 on the outside,” the FIA stewards report read. “Car 81 had some overlap on Car 16 but the front axle of Car 81 was not ahead of the front axle of Car 16 and there was no possibility of Car 81 completing an overtake from that position.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

“In the stewards’ determination, Car 16 did not deliberately crowd Car 81 off the edge of the track. Car 16 followed the racing line before the entry to Turn 5 by moving slightly to the left to open up for Turn 5 and side to side contact occurred between the two cars.

“In the circumstances, the Stewards determined to take no further action.”

Earlier in the race, Leclerc’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton was given a five-second penalty for his clash with George Russell on the opening lap of the Belgian GP.

Hamilton is also under investigation for an unsafe release from a pitstop when he hit one of his Ferrari mechanics who was attempting to make a late front wing adjustment to his F1 car.