![\"\u2018I](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/XPB_1385172_HiRes.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOscar Piastri comes together with Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc during the Sao Paulo GP. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOscar Piastri comes together with Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc during the Sao Paulo GP. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
The McLaren driver recovered to fifth after serving a 10-second penalty for causing contact with Antonelli and Charles Leclerc during an early Safety Car restart, with Leclerc forced to retire from the race due to damage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a very clear opportunity. I went for it,\u201d Piastri told Sky Sports F1.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other two on the outside braked quite late and yeah. I mean there was obviously a bit of a lock up into the corner but that was because I could see Kimi was not going to give me any space.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd yeah, I can\u2019t disappear. But the decision is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Australian admitted the penalty wasn\u2019t his only frustration, saying his pace early in the race wasn\u2019t where he wanted it to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think today the penalty was one thing, but I don\u2019t think the pace was at a level that I wanted it to be,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second half of the race potentially was not too bad, but the first stint was a little bit tough. So yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adding further pain to the 24-year-old\u2019s weekend, he was handed an additional penalty of two points on his super licence for the incident, bringing his total to eight within the last 12 months.<\/p>\n
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the penalty had ended any chance of Piastri challenging for the podium but backed his driver to respond strongly in the remaining rounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cA little bit of a shame that with Oscar we couldn\u2019t fight for the podium because of the penalty that we suffered,\u201d Stella said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to take it on the chin and look forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
He suggested recent low-grip conditions had made life difficult for Piastri but said the team would work to ensure he could maximise his performance regardless of track characteristics.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to make sure that we can extract the full potential out of the car and not out of Oscar\u2019s driving,\u201d Stella explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn all conditions lately we\u2019ve faced these low grip conditions which have challenged his natural style.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to make sure that we are able to extract the most, even when things don\u2019t work to our natural strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n
Piastri\u2019s fifth-place finish, combined with his Sprint retirement<\/a> on Saturday and Lando Norris\u2019s wins in both races<\/a>, saw him lose 23 points to his teammate, leaving him 24 points behind in the championship with three grands prix and a Sprint remaining.<\/p>\n He said that despite another disappointing weekend, he remained focused on bouncing back in the title fight.<\/p>\n \u201cJust trying to get back on top of things with that and, yeah, try and have the best weekends we can,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Stella added that the team would review the weekend in detail, including strategy decisions, but maintained confidence in Piastri\u2019s ability to recover form.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also need to review if there was something more we could have done with the strategy to help Oscar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo a few things that we need to review. Not in a desperate way, but certainly in a rational way and trying to capitalise on the strengths.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have many strengths on Oscar\u2019s side and we need to make the best use of them.\u201d<\/p>\n