Stroll Hit with Five Place Grid Penalty for United States Grand Prix

Sports

Lance Stroll has been handed a five place grid penalty for Sunday’s United States Grand Prix after his collision with Esteban Ocon during the Sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas. The stewards determined that Stroll was completely at fault for misjudging his braking into Turn 1 and colliding with Ocon’s car, which forced both drivers to retire from the Sprint.

The incident occurred on lap 16 of the 19 lap Sprint when Stroll attempted an overtake on Ocon. The Aston Martin driver locked up under braking, clipped the Haas car, and sustained damage that forced him to pull off the track shortly after. The collision triggered a second Safety Car period in what had already been a dramatic session featuring multiple retirements and on track clashes.

In addition to the grid penalty, Stroll also received two penalty points on his FIA super licence, bringing his total to seven over the past twelve months. The stewards confirmed that because Stroll did not finish the Sprint, the ten second time penalty originally imposed was converted into a five place grid drop for the Grand Prix.

For Aston Martin, the decision is a major setback ahead of the main race. Even if Stroll produces a strong qualifying performance, the penalty will drop him further down the order, complicating the team’s strategy for Sunday. The Aston Martin crew will now focus on repairing his AMR25 and maximizing race pace to recover lost ground.

The penalty adds to what has been a turbulent weekend in Austin, emphasizing how crucial discipline and precision are under the Sprint format. With both the McLaren collision and Stroll’s crash shaping the narrative, the United States Grand Prix grid is already set for an unpredictable showdown.