McLaren Changes Tune as Lando Norris Faces Backlash Over Costly Singapore GP Clash

Lando Norris is feeling the heat at McLaren after his controversial tangle with teammate Oscar Piastri in Singapore and has found himself in the middle of unwanted attention. What started as a minor first-lap scuffle has now turned into something the British driver admits will have “repercussions” until the end of the season. It’s the kind of incident that sparks lengthy talks behind closed doors, and Norris has admitted to it this time.

What Happened Between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore?

The clash happened right after the lights went out in Singapore on the first lap. Norris, after starting fifth, immediately went on the attack and, in the heat of the first few corners, tagged Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and then made light contact with Piastri.

The touch between the two papaya teammates was light but enough for Piastri to lose some ground and his radio message made his emotions plenty clear, “That wasn’t very team like. So, are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way?”

At first, McLaren didn’t seem too worried as the team had a bigger picture to focus on, like defending their spot in the Constructors’ standings. However, when the dust settled, team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that they would be reviewing the situation before the race in Austin, and from Norris’ recent statements, it was clear McLaren had made up its mind.

Speaking to the media, Norris admitted he had been held accountable for what happened. “There were talks; that was inevitable,” he said. “The team held me accountable for what happened, which I think is fair, and then we made progress from there on understanding what the repercussions were for myself and to avoid something worse happening than it did.”

He also admitted that he would face repercussions for this tangle, “It’s not like I’ve got away with anything, but it was also an incident that, let’s say, was small and there was potential to try and avoid it…. Of course, repercussions for myself, but otherwise the engagement and how we go racing is the same as it’s always been.”

On the other hand, Piastri seemed happy to move on, and the Australian said their post-race talks were “productive” and that both drivers learned from what happened.

“I think the talks from Singapore were very productive with everyone involved. I think the conclusion was what happens in Singapore is not how we want to go racing as a team, and ultimately Lando has taken responsibility for that,” he said.

Despite the tense moment, McLaren appears to have handled the situation with maturity, and Stella and CEO Zak Brown have been praised for keeping communication open between both drivers.

Norris even mentioned how Stella’s leadership has played a big role in keeping the team’s morale intact, “Sometimes the repercussions are not positive, but at the same time it’s clear that the interest for Andrea is preserving the positive teamwork that we have, the teamwork that’s allowed us to go from being last on the grid a few years ago to being the best performing team.”

When asked about the “repercussions”, Piastri said, “Ultimately we’ve got to race against nine other teams as well, 18 others, and we don’t want to give away anything that is sensitive to our team.”

For now, both drivers are focused on finishing the season strong, and while Singapore may have caused a small crack in McLaren’s unity, Norris and Piastri seem determined not to let it become a divide.