The reigning world champion has reversed his initial stance on the Singapore Sprint collision, acknowledging that his attempted overtake put McLaren’s interests at risk.
Lando Norris has accepted responsibility for his collision with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri during the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint, admitting he should never have attempted the move that ended in contact between the two drivers.
The reigning Formula 1 world champion initially defended his decision to attack Piastri, insisting there had been sufficient room to attempt an overtake. However, following internal discussions with McLaren, Norris has acknowledged that his judgement was wrong.
The change in position follows strong criticism from team principal Andrea Stella, who described the incident as unacceptable and called for a review of how the team’s drivers race each other.
A costly collision for McLaren
The incident occurred on the final lap of the 20-lap Sprint at Marina Bay, with Piastri running fourth and Norris fifth.
Approaching Turn 5, Norris attempted to move down the inside of his teammate but made contact with the right-rear tyre of Piastri’s MCL40.
Both cars spun, turning what had appeared to be a valuable double-points finish into a costly outcome for McLaren.
Norris eventually recovered to finish eighth, while Piastri was forced to retire.
The collision immediately raised questions about the level of freedom McLaren should allow its drivers when competing directly against one another, particularly when both cars are in points-scoring positions.
Speaking shortly after the Sprint, Norris defended his decision to attempt the move.
« There was a big gap, so I went for it. I’m allowed to do that. As for the rest, we’ll review it as a team. »
His initial assessment suggested that he considered the attempted overtake legitimate, despite its consequences.
Stella, however, took a different view.
The McLaren team principal made clear that collisions between teammates were unacceptable, particularly when they compromised the team’s results.
He confirmed that the incident would be discussed internally to establish what had happened and prevent a repeat.
The intention was not necessarily to restrict the drivers’ freedom to race, but to reinforce the responsibility that comes with representing the same team.
Norris changes his position after internal discussions
Following those conversations, Norris adopted a markedly different tone when questioned about the incident and whether further discussions with McLaren would be necessary.
« No, it’s pretty simple, » he said.
« I can’t attempt what I did. I should never have tried that move, even if the overtake was possible. I have to think more about the team I represent than myself. »
The admission represents a clear reversal from his immediate post-race comments, with Norris now accepting that the availability of an overtaking opportunity did not necessarily justify taking the risk.
Rather than focusing on whether the move was technically possible, the British driver acknowledged that he should have placed greater importance on the potential consequences for McLaren.
An apology to the entire team
Norris also confirmed that he had apologised to McLaren personnel following the collision.
« It was a mistake on my part and I let the team down. I’ve also apologised to everyone. I owe them all an apology, and I’ll do better next time. »
His comments indicate a desire to put the controversy behind him while taking responsibility for the points lost in Singapore.
The incident nevertheless leaves McLaren with an important challenge as the season approaches its conclusion.
Allowing Norris and Piastri to compete freely remains part of the team’s approach, but the Singapore collision has demonstrated the potential cost when that competition results in contact.
For Norris, the lesson is now clear: an overtaking opportunity is not always worth pursuing when the consequences extend beyond his own race.
Whether that acknowledgement changes how the two McLaren drivers approach future on-track battles remains to be seen.
