Lando Norris has revealed that McLaren ultimately held him accountable for his aggressive first-lap move on teammate Oscar Piastri during the Singapore Grand Prix – an incident that momentarily threatened to unsettle one of Formula 1’s most cohesive teams.
Norris, who launched off the line with blistering pace, found himself alongside Piastri through the early corners of Marina Bay’s demanding street circuit. As he avoided slight contact with Max Verstappen at Turn 3, the Briton’s car made light contact with Piastri’s McLaren – a moment that drew immediate frustration from the Australian over team radio.
Although McLaren initially played down the drama amid its intense constructors’ title defense, Team Principal Andrea Stella confirmed that the matter would be reviewed before the United States Grand Prix.
Now, Norris admits that the team has reached its conclusion – one that puts the responsibility of the incident squarely on his shoulders.
“There were talks; that was inevitable,” Norris explained.
“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.”
A Lesson Learned
Norris emphasized that while the flash point didn’t result in race-ending damage, it served as a reminder of the fine line drivers walk when racing their teammates.
“The last thing I want is something like that to happen to cause these kind of controversial talks after a race,” he said. “And at the same time, I put just as much risk on me putting myself out of the race as I do whoever I'm racing against, whether it's Oscar or anyone else.
“So it's clearly something I want to avoid. It's so been one of my strengths since coming into Formula 1, avoiding contact in general and keeping myself in the race.”
Now sitting 22 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ standings, Norris insisted that McLaren’s internal handling of the matter was both measured and constructive.
Preserving Team Unity Comes First
The 25-year-old refrained from detailing what specific “repercussions” were agreed upon but stressed that maintaining harmony within the team far outweighed any personal penalty.
“Sometimes the repercussions are not positive, but at the same time it's clear that the interest for Andrea [Stella – McLaren team principal] 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, and also just having two drivers that challenge each other more than any other team on the grid,” Norris said.
The Briton also praised Stella and McLaren CEO Zak Brown for fostering open communication – an approach he believes has helped the team rise to its current competitive form.
“When you're fighting for wins between those two drivers, then of course you're going to have trickier moments,” Norris added.
“But I think the reason we've been able to deal with things well on both sides is because of Andrea's leadership, Zak's leadership, and having these talks.”
Trust and Leadership at McLaren’s Core
Reflecting on McLaren’s growth and his long-term relationship with the team, Norris credited Stella’s management for maintaining balance during high-pressure moments.
“I think one thing we've always done well as a team is using and progressing with the framework that we have to allow both of us as drivers to trust each other and the team. That's a lot of the reason for why we're a stronger team than everyone else,” he said.
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‘Even Lando paid’: McLaren lawsuit unveils F1 ‘pay to play’ realityThe Briton added that Stella’s steady hand continues to be central to McLaren’s resurgence.
“I don't know what's happened to all the teams in the past and what Lewis [Hamilton] and [Nico] Rosberg had, but Andrea's number one priority is preserving the morale and the framework that we set out.
“I've been part of it for many years, but especially over the last couple of years since Andrea stepped into his position of being team principal, and how he wants to preserve the greatness of the team that we have at the minute.”
While the Singapore clash may have briefly threatened to unsettle McLaren’s serene dynamic, Norris’ acceptance of responsibility – and his team’s transparent handling of the issue – appear to have reinforced the cohesion that has fueled their recent success.
At this weekend’s US Grand Prix, McLaren’s drivers will aim to turn the lessons of Singapore into another united charge at the front of the field.
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