Norris vs Piastri: Tension at McLaren after Singapore incident. F1 at its peak.

Tension at McLaren: Analysis of the Incident in Singapore

The Singapore Grand Prix of Formula 1 left more to be desired than George Russell’s victory or McLaren’s defense of the constructors’ title. The focus of attention was on the contact between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the first lap. Analyzed under FIA rules, the incident was considered a simple “racing incident”, something common on the first lap of a Grand Prix. The stewards did not investigate, determining that the collision, without significant damage to the cars, did not warrant a post-race declaration. However, within McLaren’s internal battle, the incident was more delicate. Team rules promise fair play from the wall, in exchange for avoiding contact between the drivers on the track. This incident adds to a growing list of controversies that McLaren must manage as the season reaches its climax.

What happened?

From fifth on the grid, Norris had a good start and attacked, overtaking Kimi Antonelli and going to the inside of his teammate at Turn 1. Piastri left space, but Norris closed in as he approached Turn 3, with Max Verstappen ahead.

With centimeters of separation, Norris grazed the rear of Verstappen’s Red Bull. In a split second, Norris’s car slid, colliding with Piastri, who was trying to chart his course on the outside. Norris suffered damage to the front wing from contact with Verstappen, but the crash with Piastri allowed him to gain third position. From there, Norris was faster, finishing on the podium ahead of his teammate, who was fourth.

“That wasn’t very team-oriented, but oh well,” Piastri said over the radio.

Oscar Piastri

Piastri continued with a tense exchange with his race engineer, Tom Stallard.

• Lap 3: Piastri asks if it’s okay for Norris to “push him off the track.”
• Lap 4: Stallard asks Piastri to concentrate and that the stewards won’t take action. Piastri replies that it’s not fair.

The image shows Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris competing for third place on the first lap of the Singapore Grand Prix.

From the onboard camera of Piastri’s car, the contact with Verstappen was not visible, so it seemed that Norris had lost control and crashed into his teammate. McLaren has emphasized avoiding collisions, so Piastri felt that Norris’s aggressiveness caused the contact. However, the replays show that Norris couldn’t avoid contact with Piastri after touching Verstappen. Piastri acknowledged the need to review the replays to form a conclusion. Norris, criticized for not being aggressive enough on the first lap, argued that any driver would have acted the same and that he did nothing wrong. He stated that the error was misjudging the proximity to Verstappen, but that he would have finished ahead of Piastri anyway.

Why didn’t McLaren intervene?

McLaren, under the direction of Andrea Stella, considered the contact between its drivers to be the result of the incident with Verstappen, a racing incident. Stella understood Piastri’s frustration, but reiterated that the drivers should express their opinions via radio. Stella emphasized the importance of communication and the perspective of the drivers, especially on the first lap.

What’s next for the title battle?

With six races remaining, the tension at McLaren increases. Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, while Verstappen, who finished second, is 63 points behind Piastri.

Stella is aware of the pressure and the importance of everyone being on the same page every race weekend. The key is to protect the concept of “let them race”, knowing they will face difficulties. Integrity and transparency are fundamental. However, the rules of the game between the drivers can only go so far. In borderline situations, each one will interpret the rules according to their interests. The situation is getting complicated for McLaren in the future.