Lando Norris secured third place at the Singapore Grand Prix, helping McLaren maintain its lead in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship, but attention quickly turned to a contentious move on teammate Oscar Piastri during the race start. The incident, which took place on the opening lap of the event, raised questions about Norris’ driving style and sportsmanship.
Details of Norris’ Maneuver in the Race Start Chaos
The launch into the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix was highly intense due to the challenging conditions on the track, which had not fully dried after a prior rain shower. Norris, starting fifth after a less-than-ideal qualifying session, took advantage of a small gap and aggressively pushed his McLaren MCL39 inside to gain positions in the opening moments.
As he made his move, Norris’ car briefly touched the rear of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, causing a small bounce that propelled Norris into Piastri, who had started ahead in third place. Piastri’s trajectory was disrupted, forcing him away from the wall and dropping him to fourth position. Though Piastri fought back in the final laps, he ultimately finished behind Norris.
Team Reactions and Radio Exchanges Reveal Frustrations
Oscar Piastri’s frustration was audible on the team radio as he told his race engineer Tom Stallard that Norris’ move was “not fair” and “wasn’t very team-like.” The tension between the teammates highlighted the complex dynamic within McLaren, which has adopted a “clean-racing” approach called the “papaya rules.” These guidelines encourage drivers to compete hard but fairly.
Despite Piastri’s irritation, Norris argued there was nothing wrong with his actions. At the FIA post-race press conference, he denied making an aggressive move on his teammate, explaining his contact resulted mainly from his interaction with Verstappen’s car.
Norris Responds to Criticism Over His Race Start Strategy
When asked about the start, Norris confessed he struggled to recall every detail but described it as a solid launch with a good positioning effort:
“I think the start was good, just right inside of the grid was good. I think it was a good launch as well. Got across and put myself in a good position to not get checked up out of Turn 1 and into two.”
He noted the track remained slippery due to remaining damp patches, which increased the challenge:
“Just, yeah, had a big gap on the inside of Oscar, and it was just very close, you know — so slippery because it was still damp in places and drying out. And I think I just clipped the back of Max’s car. And that just gave me a little correction.”
Despite the contact, Norris emphasized the success of his move in gaining positions when overtaking further in the race was difficult:
“So, yeah, good in terms of, I got two positions, and if I didn’t get them there, I probably would never have got them, just because, like we saw, it was too difficult to overtake. The aggression there and the forward thinking was paid off.” – Lando Norris, Driver
He firmly rejected the notion that his move was aggressive toward Piastri:
“Well, I hit Max, so it wasn’t aggressive on my teammate,”
Reflection and Commitment to Reviewing the Incident
Norris confessed he had yet to view the incident replay and committed to reviewing it thoroughly to see if improvements were possible:
“I’ve still not even seen it, so I still need to go and see it,”
“I might look at it and think there’s something else I could have done, or could have done better.”
He expressed confidence that any driver in his position would have made the same attempt, underscoring the high stakes of Formula 1 racing:
“Anyone on the grid would have done exactly the same thing as what I did. So I think if you fault me for just going up the inside and putting my car on the inside of a big gap, then I don’t think you should be in Formula 1. I don’t think there was anything wrong that I did.”
Norris acknowledged a slight misjudgment in proximity to Verstappen’s car but emphasized this as part of racing risk. He also reassured that had no contact with Piastri occurred, he still expected to end ahead due to track position advantages:
“Of course, I misjudged a little bit how close I am to Max, but that’s racing. Nothing happened otherwise. And I’m sure I still would have just ended up ahead of Oscar anyway, because I was on the inside and he would have had the dirty side of the track on the outside.”
He also reflected on the negative attention team collisions attract, especially between teammates who share the same risks:
“I’m the one that can’t afford anything comparing to him, and I would put myself at risk just as much if that kind of thing happens. So, yeah, I’ll see what I can do better next time. But the FIA obviously thought it was fine, and the team did too, so that’s it.”
Continuing Championship Battle and Team Dynamics
Despite McLaren securing the constructors’ championship, Norris maintained that the internal competition for the drivers’ title remains fierce and unchanged. He confirmed that racing between him and Piastri will remain open and competitive:
“It will just remain the same, which is just open to race,”
“Nothing will change because we’re free to race and have been the whole season.”
Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, acknowledged the importance of reviewing the Singapore start incident during the forthcoming two-week break ahead of the United States Grand Prix. The team chose not to intervene during the race but aims to analyze what happened thoroughly.
At present, Oscar Piastri leads the drivers’ championship with 336 points, while Norris is trailing by 22 points with 314. Norris closed the gap slightly from 25 points before Singapore and will need to outscore Piastri by approximately 3.7 points per race over the final six events, including three sprint weekends, to keep his title challenge alive.
What Lies Ahead for McLaren and Its Drivers
The Singapore incident highlights the delicate balance McLaren must maintain between fostering internal rivalry and adhering to their “clean-racing” principles. As the championship approaches its closing stages, every decision on the track carries significant weight for the drivers and team alike. Norris’ aggressive move, while controversial, may ultimately be a reflection of the high-pressure environment in which the two teammates are competing.
The upcoming United States Grand Prix and subsequent races will be critical to see how the relationship between Norris and Piastri evolves, how the team manages on-track battles, and who might emerge as the ultimate title winner this season.
