McLaren and Pirelli review Piastri's 'unusual' Singapore puncture as Norris owns up to sprint clash

McLaren has opened a review with tyre supplier Pirelli into the slow puncture that hit Oscar Piastri during the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, 11 October 2026, while Lando Norris has accepted the blame for the earlier sprint collision between the two team-mates. The fallout comes as McLaren try to close the gap to Ferrari in the constructors' championship before the United States Grand Prix in Austin from 23 to 25 October.

An 'unusual' puncture under review

Piastri suffered a slow puncture during the race at Marina Bay. McLaren spotted the problem and brought him in for an unplanned second pit stop. Team principal Andrea Stella said after the race that the cause was still unknown and that the team could not answer the question alone, so it would investigate together with Pirelli.

Stella described the failure as unusual and said it was the first slow puncture he had heard of this season. He added that he did not believe the issue was specific to McLaren. In this case it cost Piastri little, but Stella warned that a similar problem could be expensive in a closer race.

Piastri recovered on fresh tyres and caught Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari, whose one-stop strategy did not work out. He passed Hamilton on the penultimate lap to finish fifth, directly behind Norris in fourth. Max Verstappen won the race.

Norris accepts blame for sprint collision

The weekend had already been difficult for McLaren after Saturday's sprint. On the final lap, at Turn 5, Norris dived down the inside of Piastri, the two cars touched and both spun. Piastri did not finish the sprint, while Norris recovered to cross the line eighth.

The stewards investigated and took no further action, ruling that neither driver was wholly or mainly to blame. Norris first defended his right to try the move, but later accepted he should not have attempted it and apologised to the team for letting it down.

During the grand prix, Norris also offered on team radio to help Piastri recover from his puncture, which was seen as a sign the team's message about putting the team first had landed.

Brown: 'That's an order'

McLaren chief executive Zak Brown called the clash unnecessary given the team's position in the championship. Speaking on the grid, he said the drivers had been told not to repeat it and that this was "an order" rather than a request. Brown said both drivers, and possibly the team, could have handled the situation differently.

Piastri said McLaren could not afford such incidents, pointing to the cost in points, workload and money, but confirmed Norris apologised quickly and that both had moved on. He also noted it was not their first collision.

Where McLaren stand before Austin

McLaren leave Singapore 105 points behind second-placed Ferrari in the constructors' standings and only seven points ahead of Red Bull, which has been boosted by Verstappen's recent form. Piastri sits seventh in the drivers' standings on 138 points. The United States Grand Prix race starts at 4am Malaysia time on Monday, 26 October.

Key takeaways

• McLaren and Pirelli are reviewing the slow puncture that forced Piastri into an extra stop in Singapore.
• Stella called the puncture unusual and said he did not think it was a McLaren-specific issue.
• Piastri still finished fifth, behind Norris in fourth, after passing Hamilton late on.
• Norris accepted responsibility for the sprint clash; the stewards took no further action.
• McLaren are 105 points behind Ferrari and seven ahead of Red Bull in the constructors' fight.

FAQ

What caused Oscar Piastri's puncture in Singapore? The cause is not yet known. McLaren has launched a review with Pirelli to find out.

Was Lando Norris penalised for the sprint collision with Piastri? No. The stewards took no further action, but Norris later accepted he should not have attempted the move.

When is the next F1 race? The United States Grand Prix in Austin runs from 23 to 25 October, with the race at 4am Malaysia time on 26 October.

Sources: Formula1.com, PlanetF1, RacingNews365