McLaren: Norris-Piastri tension rising after Singapore incident

Tension at McLaren: The Incident That Shook the Singapore Grand Prix

The Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship is heating up, and the Singapore Grand Prix was no exception. George Russell’s victory and McLaren’s constructors’ title were overshadowed by an incident between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The contact in the first lap between Norris and Piastri was the center of attention, meticulously analyzed by experts. The incident, viewed under FIA rules, was considered a racing incident, but the internal implications at McLaren are more delicate. According to the team’s rules, which promise fair play from the pit wall and avoid contact between drivers on the track, the incident was not subject to action. However, it adds to a growing list of minor incidents that McLaren must carefully manage as the season reaches its climax.

What happened on the track?

From fifth on the grid, Norris had a good start, overtaking Kimi Antonelli and going for the inside of his teammate at Turn 1. Piastri gave space, but Norris closed in as he approached Turn 3, with Max Verstappen ahead. With centimeters of separation, Norris touched Verstappen’s Red Bull, causing the rear of his car to slide and collide with Piastri, who was trying to chart a course on the outside of the curve. Norris suffered damage to the front wing from contact with Verstappen, but it was the contact with Piastri that allowed him to move up to third position. From that moment on, Norris seemed to be the fastest driver, and after putting pressure on Verstappen, he finished the race on the podium, ahead of his teammate, who finished fourth.

“That wasn’t very team-oriented, but oh well.”

Oscar Piastri

Piastri expressed his frustration over the radio, which led to a tense exchange with his race engineer, Tom Stallard.

• Lap 3: Piastri: “Are we okay with Lando pushing me off the track, or… what’s going on?”
• Lap 4: Stallard: “I need you to focus on what we can do here. Control what you can control, mate.” Piastri: “That’s not fair. Sorry, that’s not fair.”

The replay from Piastri’s onboard camera didn’t show contact with Verstappen, and it seemed that Norris had lost control and crashed into his teammate.

Norris, for his part, defended his maneuver, arguing that any driver would have done the same. He affirmed that there was nothing wrong with his action and that the team and the FIA considered the incident normal.

Why didn’t McLaren intervene?

McLaren, after the incident, did not intervene. The team principal, Andrea Stella, explained that the contact between the cars was a consequence of the incident with Verstappen, and that it was considered a racing incident.

“This contact is, in reality, a consequence of another racing situation that occurred between Lando and Verstappen”

Andrea Stella

Stella understood Piastri’s frustration, but reiterated that drivers must express their feelings over the radio. The team will review the incident to analyze possible improvements.

What’s next for the title fight?

With six races remaining, internal tension at McLaren is increasing. Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, while Verstappen, who finished second, has closed the gap to 63 points.

The situation is getting complicated for McLaren, who will have to manage the race rules and prevent individual aspirations from affecting the team’s performance.