FIA clarification demanded after Oscar Piastri-Max Verstappen incident

Former Mercedes reserve driver and current McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird has called for the FIA to clarify what brake pressure is legal during a safety car restart, following Oscar Piastri's Silverstone penalty. 

The F1 drivers' title leader was handed a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points for 'erratic braking' ahead of a second safety car restart on lap 21. 

Piastri had been leading the British GP when the safety car lights went out along the Hangar straight, before slamming on the brakes moments after accelerating. 

It triggered a chain reaction of drivers behind narrowly avoiding hitting one another, with visibility having been poor in the wet conditions, whilst Max Verstappen overtook the McLaren driver. 

According to the stewards' report, Piastri hit the brakes at 60 psi, double George Russell's brake pressure following a similar incident in Canada which went without punishment. 

Bird has called for the FIA to outline exactly what brake pressure is allowed during a safety car restart.

"I think the FIA have got to be careful now, because this has happened twice this season," Bird said on the BBC's F1 Chequered Flag podcast. 

"I think they've got to come up with something a little bit clearer, like, you cannot brake when you're on the straight. You do your braking for the corners, but in a straight, because otherwise it gets a little bit messy. 

"How many psi are they going to allow? Is it 30? Is it 40? Is it 50? I don't know. I think the main thing is, Oscar was in complete control of his car and was in a straight line."

Verstappen quick thinking

Verstappen defended Piastri after the race and was surprised to see him handed an "extreme" penalty, but did question the incident immediately on the team radio. 

Bird believes the Dutchman overtaking the championship leader was a tactical decision, in an attempt for the incident to be investigated. 

"Max is so good that he saw an opportunity there and thought, do you know what, if I make it look like this was dangerous... Max is able to process things very, very quickly. 

"If I make this look a little bit dangerous, I don't have the car to win this weekend. I don't have the car. But if I can get them a penalty, like what he did in Canada with George, he pushed the FIA to look into it. Here he's pushed the FIA to look into it and give a penalty. 

"However, he's then made a mistake himself, and that's what we saw up and down the pit lane. Most drivers making mistakes. The only three that didn't were Nico Hulkenberg, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris."