F1 star handed PENALTY ahead of US Grand Prix after clumsy crash

An F1 star has been handed a major penalty at COTA this weekend after a clumsy crash ahead of Sunday's United States Grand Prix.

The 19th round of the championship marks not only a huge opportunity for any of the three title contenders to pick up valuable points, but also, the fourth sprint weekend of the 2025 campaign.

Reigning champion Max Verstappen secured his third consecutive sprint pole position at the track in Austin on Friday, lining up for Saturday's sprint race on the front row alongside Lando Norris.

Behind them was championship leader Oscar Piastri, who lined up beside Nico Hulkenberg for lights out, moments before chaos.

The demanding uphill nature of Turn 1 did not disappoint and on the first lap, Piastri made contact with Hulkenberg's Sauber, spinning into team-mate Norris, taking both McLarens out of the race altogether.

The 100km event concluded with Verstappen taking the 13th sprint victory of his career, but not before even further carnage out on track after a careless move from Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll.

FIA announce penalty verdict after Stroll crash

It seems Stroll didn't learn from the chaos ahead of him at Turn 1 during the first lap of Saturday's sprint, opting to make a lunge down the inside of Esteban Ocon at the same part of the track during the closing stages of the sprint.

The Canadian racer locked up as he was attempting to complete the move however, resulting in a clumsy coming together of the Aston Martin machinery and Haas F1 car.

Both drivers were ruled out of the race alongside Piastri, Norris and two-time champion Fernando Alonso, with Stroll later summoned by the FIA over the incident.

Ahead of Sunday's main event, the stewards have now delivered their verdict, slapping Stroll with a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's US GP alongside two penalty points.

After hearing from Stroll, Ocon and their team representatives, an official statement from the FIA read: "Car 18 [Stroll] attempted an inside overtake on Car 31 [Ocon] into Turn 1 but misjudged the braking point and collided with Car 31.

"The Stewards determine that the driver of Car 18 is wholly at fault and apply a penalty accordingly. As the driver to be penalised did not finish the race a grid penalty equalling a 10 seconds time penalty is imposed."

The 26-year-old was ruled out in Q1 during Saturday's qualifying after finishing 18th, meaning he will start from the very back of the grid on Sunday.

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