Oscar Piastri has confessed that McLaren concluded that his first-lap incident with team-mate Lando Norris in the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix “isn’t how we want to go racing”.
The Australian was enraged by Norris’ manoeuvre at Turn 1 at the Marina Bay Circuit, in which the Brit forcibly pushed Piastri wide, putting him into third place.
Both the stewards and therefore the team cleared Norris of wrongdoing, which angered Piastri further, with Norris doubling down on his view that the move was fair after the race.
However, it came to light ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix that Norris had received “repercussions” post-race, admitting the team “held me accountable” for the incident.
Piastri, speaking to media including Motorsport Week, revealed that the onus was placed onto Norris, and that the team also took responsibility for its part in the dealing of the clash.
“We had a lot of discussions, as you would expect,” he said. “We’re very productive, we’re very clear on how we want to go racing as a team, and that includes going forward.
“The incident we had in Singapore isn’t how we want to go racing. Lando has taken responsibility for that and so has the team.
“I think it’s quite clear for us as a team that how lap one unfolded wasn’t how we want to go racing.
Piastri ‘very happy there’s no bias’ in McLaren amid fallout from Norris clash
Piastri, by definition of his joining the team in 2023, in contrast to Norris’ progression through McLaren’s junior ranks, could be considered somewhat on the periphery of favouritism aimed towards Norris.
But the title-leader was adamant that both he and Norris are being treated fairly and equally, saying he was “very happy” with how he perceives the current situation within the team.
“I think for me, again, we analysed the incident and there has been responsibility placed on Lando ultimately in that collision, but I’m very happy that there’s no favouritism or bias,” he said.
Every time an issue bearing some sort of contention between the two, it has raised an amount of speculation as to whether it will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
But Piastri was again firm in his stance that the team’s relationship with both drivers will remain the same, saying: “No, nothing’s going to change. I think it’s just clear that we have that framework in place anyways and that’s how we’re expected to go racing, so nothing’s going to change because of what happened in Singapore.”
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