Oscar Piastri learns stewards' verdict after Suzuka investigation

Oscar Piastri has been let off by the stewards at the Japanese Grand Prix after allegedly impeding Nico Hulkenberg during FP3.

Early into the third and final practice hour at Suzuka, the Audi driver found his path blocked by the McLaren as he came up to and through 130R.

Initially noted by race director Rui Marques, it was promptly upgraded to an investigation, with the FIA determining that a warning was necessary.

“Car 81 was weaving across the track warming tyres on the straight between turns 14 and 15 when Car 27 approached at high speed on a push lap,” read the stewards' statement. 

“Team radio confirmed that the Driver of Car 81 had received a warning from the team that Car 27 was behind on a timed lap. When Car 27 arrived at the entry to turn 15, Car 81 stopped weaving but remained on the racing line and moved off line but the closing speed of the two cars was such that the driver of Car 27 had to lift and brake.

“The Driver of Car 81 explained that he heard the warning of Car 27’s approach and saw Car 27 in his mirrors as Car 27 was exiting turn 14. He said that at that point Car 27 was so far back that he believed he had ample time to warm his tyres and get over to the left at the exit of turn 15 before Car 27 would reach him. 

“He said that he was using full throttle on the long straight and his telemetry confirmed this. He said that he had misjudged the closing speed on Car 27’s approach (75kph). 

“The Driver explained that, as was his habit last year, he was placing significant reliance on the virtual mirror system. However, this incident had demonstrated to him that, in his view, the refresh rate of the virtual mirror is insufficient to give a reliable warning to the Driver of the significant closing speeds of the 2026 cars.

“Nonetheless, he accepted that car 27 was unnecessarily impeded.