McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has been reprimanded for a practice start transgression at Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix.
Piastri was judged to have not followed the event notes outlined by Race Director Niels Wittich in relation to practice starts at the end of the final session on Saturday.
Stewards detailed that Piastri ‘admitted he lost concentration and was preparing to do a practice start but attempted it a lap too early, having failed to take the chequered flag before doing so.’
Piastri ‘slowed down considerably’, at which point McLaren warned him to ‘complete the lap before attempting a practice start’, and he therefore did not go through the full procedure.
Stewards affirmed that Piastri ‘candidly admitted his mistake and recognised that this could have resulted in a dangerous situation on track.’
Under Formula 1 regulations a driver will receive a 10-place grid penalty if they collect three reprimands for driving-related offences in a season.
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