Verstappen penalised after Piastri collision in Abu Dhabi
World champion made contact with Piastri’s car at turn one, forcing Australian into pits
Abu Dhabi: McLaren's hopes of a first constructors' title since 1998 suffered a blow after a dramatic start to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Max Verstappen was aggressive at lights out, the fourth-placed Red Bull off the grid sneaking up the inside of Oscar Piastri, who started on the front row alongside his McLaren teammate and pole sitter Lando Norris.
Four-time world champion Verstappen's Red Bull made contact with Piastri's car at turn one, forcing the Australian into the pits for repairs to leave him trailing the race.
"Yep, move of a world champion that one" Piastri sarcastically told his team.
Verstappen picked up a 10-second penalty for the incident by the stewards at the Yas Marina circuit.
Piastri was then handed an identical punishment for an incident involving Franco Colapinto's Williams.
On lap two Red Bull lost Sergio Perez, who was forced to retire his car to bring a premature end to the Mexican's poor season.
Norris was leading Carlos Sainz in the early stages with Sainz's Ferrari team trailing McLaren by 21 points in the tight battle for the constructors' title.
McLaren's hopes of the title rested on race leader Norris holding off Sainz and the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who started on the back row but was steadily making his way up through the field and into the points.