McLaren close Singapore sprint file as Norris accepts blame for Piastri clash

McLaren have drawn a line under the collision between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Singapore sprint. Speaking in Austin before the United States Grand Prix, the team confirmed it will take no further action against Norris, who has now accepted responsibility for the last-lap clash at Marina Bay. Piastri says he is happy with how McLaren dealt with it.

What happened in Singapore

The incident came on the final lap of the Singapore sprint, which was run in mixed conditions. The two McLarens were stuck behind Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, which was struggling on worn intermediate tyres. Norris dived up the inside of his team-mate at Turn 5. Once he was alongside he started to back out, and his left-front tyre clipped Piastri's right-rear.

Both cars spun. Piastri hit the wall and retired, while Norris recovered to finish eighth. The stewards investigated and took no further action, ruling that both drivers had contributed and that neither was wholly or mainly to blame.

That did not settle it inside McLaren. Team principal Andrea Stella called the incident serious because it had done real damage to the team, and said team interest had to come before personal interest. He also made a point of saying he was not looking for apologies. He wanted both drivers to reflect on it before Austin.

Why McLaren chose not to act

According to The Race, McLaren's view is that the key acknowledgement from Norris came in the days after Singapore rather than in what he said at the track that Sunday. Stella's focus had been on Norris understanding that the move was unnecessary, not on getting a public apology.

McLaren's US Grand Prix preview release quoted Norris saying he takes responsibility for his mistakes and learns from them. With that, the team considers the matter closed. Piastri said he was satisfied with the way it had been handled.

That is a notable shift from Singapore itself. Straight after the sprint, Norris said he had gone for the gap and had every right to, and that the rest would be reviewed as a team. Piastri said only that the team would do whatever it needed to do.

Why it matters for McLaren

The timing is important. McLaren are in a close fight for third in the constructors' championship. After Singapore they had 339 points to Red Bull's 332, with Max Verstappen having won the last two races. Every point lost to an intra-team collision counts in a fight that close, which is why Stella wants both drivers thinking about the team first.

In the drivers' standings, Norris is sixth on 201 points and Piastri seventh on 138. Neither is in the title fight, which Kimi Antonelli leads on 340 points for Mercedes. That makes constructors' points even more important for the team over the final races.

What comes next in Austin

The US Grand Prix is a standard weekend with no sprint. In Malaysia time, final practice is at 1.30am on Sunday, qualifying is at 5am on Sunday, and the race starts at 4am on Monday 26 October.

Norris has said the two drivers are still allowed to race each other. With Norris now on record as accepting blame, the first time they are side by side in Texas will be watched closely by the team and by fans.

Key takeaways

• McLaren will take no further action against Lando Norris over the Singapore sprint collision.
• The stewards had already cleared both drivers, ruling that neither was predominantly to blame.
• Norris accepted responsibility in the days after Singapore, and Piastri says he is happy with how it was handled.
• McLaren lead Red Bull by just seven points in the race for third in the constructors' standings.
• The US Grand Prix starts at 4am on Monday, Malaysia time.

FAQ

Was Lando Norris penalised for the Singapore sprint clash? No. The stewards took no further action, finding that both drivers contributed. McLaren reviewed it internally and have also decided against any further action.

What did Andrea Stella say about the incident? He called it serious because of the damage to the team. He said he did not want apologies and wanted the drivers to learn from it, with team interest coming first.

Are Norris and Piastri still allowed to race each other? Yes. Norris has said they are still allowed to race, but McLaren expects them to avoid contact with each other.

Sources: The Race, Formula1.com, PlanetF1, Crash.net