McLaren star Oscar Piastri has been declared the winner of the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race in a shocking post-race moment.
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Formula 1 headed to Sao Paulo this weekend for not one but two races – Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s grand prix.
After McLaren locked out the front row for the sprint, it was pole-sitter Oscar Piastri who led for the majority of the race before McLaren intervened and asked the Aussie to allow his team-mate Lando Norris – who is battling Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship – through.
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Piastri duly obliged, with Norris going on to take the chequered flag in P1.
Oscar Piastri started Saturday’s Brazil GP sprint in P1
Lando Norris was the sprint race winner in Brazil
Norris officially won the sprint as a result of the team order but after the race, it seemed some were not happy with the manner in which he took the victory.
This was evident in the official FIA press conference after the race when a journalist began their question by congratulating Piastri on his win – essentially declaring him the winner in an awkward moment.”Congratulations Oscar on your win,” a reporter began, leaving Lando Norris and Max Verstappen awkwardly grinning alongside the Aussie.”Erm, I don’t know what I won, but thank you,” Piastri replied.
McLaren’s team order could prove to be a crucial one in the battle for the drivers’ championship, with every single point potentially counting come the end of the season.
The switch ensured Norris cut Verstappen’s lead by two points to 45 and this was later reduced further after Verstappen was penalised by the FIA and demoted to fourth.Norris now trails the Red Bull star by 44 points heading into Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
