Max Verstappen flamed over 'unnecessary' first corner clash with Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri was left fuming after an "unnecessary" lunge from Max Verstappen took him out of contention for victory at the first corner of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Starting second, Piastri had tucked in behind pole-sitting teammate Lando Norris into the first corner when Verstappen made a late dive down the inside.
The young Aussie gave Verstappen room, but it wasn't enough. The two touched, and Piastri was spun into the run-off and to the back of the pack.
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After a neat pirouette, Verstappen was able to recover albeit having tumbled well down the order.
"Yep, move of a world champion that one," Piastri said on team radio.
Piastri was taken out by Max Verstappen in the first corner. FOX Sports
Verstappen dived down the inside, but drifted wide and made contact with the Aussie. FOX Sports
Piastri found support from former driver Martin Brundle, who in commentary lashed Verstappen for the "unnecessary" move.
"It's so unfair of Max wasn't it," he said.
"They are not in the championship. He's won his championship. To put such a risky move, I know it's the first lap of a grand prix, there was a gap, Piastri, would he know he would lunge like that?
"It just wasn't necessary and hasn't done Verstappen any good either."
Verstappen was slapped with a 10-second penalty for the collision.
A clumsy collision with the Williams of Franco Colapinto shortly after earned Piastri a 10-second penalty of his own.
Piastri was slapped with a 10-second penalty for this collision with Franco Colapinto. FOX Sports
Norris would go on to win the race virtually unchallenged. Piastri would recover to finish 10th. It was enough McLaren its first constructors' (teams) championship since 1998 - before either driver was born.
Entering the weekend with a 21-point deficit, the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz did everything they could to cut the gap. Sainz crossed the line second, ahead of Leclerc who put in a stonking drive from 19th to finish third.
Post-race, Piastri said Verstappen "came and apologised straight away".
"It was a pretty miserable race for myself, but the biggest thing today is we clinched the championship, it's a massive credit to everyone at McLaren for what they've achieved this year," the Melbournian said.
Piastri also became just the fourth driver in the history of F1 to complete every single racing lap in a season. Michael Schumacher (2002), Lewis Hamilton (2019) and Verstappen (2023) are the only others to have completed the feat.
Making the feat even more impressive is he did so in the longest season in the sport's history. At 24 races, it was seven longer than 2002, three more than 2019, and two more than 2023.
In his first F1 race, compatriot Jack Doohan enjoyed a quiet run to 15th place.
In his 246th and final race for Mercedes before joining Ferrari next year, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth after overtaking teammate George Russell on the last lap.
Jack Doohan finished 15th in his maiden F1 race. Getty
"We dreamed alone but together we believed," Hamilton told his engineer Peter Bonnington over the radio before performing a series of doughnuts to cheers from the crowd.
Russell was fifth, with Verstappen sixth and Pierre Gasly seventh for Alpine. Nico Hulkenberg finished eighth in his last race for Haas before joining Sauber for 2025, while Fernando Alonso was ninth for Aston Martin and Piastri.
The 2025 F1 season kicks off in Melbourne in March.
- With AP
