Andrea Stella insists team interests must come first following a costly collision between his drivers in the closing stages of the Sprint.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has issued a firm warning to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri following their collision during the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint, describing the incident as « simply unacceptable » and insisting that no individual can place their ambitions above the team’s interests.
The collision occurred on the final lap at Marina Bay, when Norris attempted to overtake Piastri at Turn 5 while the two McLaren drivers were running fourth and fifth.
Contact between the cars sent both drivers spinning, compromising what had been a promising opportunity to collect valuable championship points.
Norris eventually finished eighth, securing a single point, while Piastri was classified 14th despite failing to reach the chequered flag.
The incident prompted a strong response from Stella, who confirmed that McLaren would address the matter internally.
Stella condemns costly collision
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Stella made clear that the collision was particularly frustrating given McLaren’s lack of pace to challenge for victory during the weekend.
« The Sprint was supposed to be an opportunity to score good points at a time when we are not in a position to win, » Stella explained.
« We were still well placed to achieve a good result, but instead we saw our two McLarens collide and effectively take each other out of contention. »
Although Norris managed to salvage one championship point, Stella insisted that the outcome fell well short of the team’s expectations.
« Lando scored one point, but that is clearly not enough. Seeing two McLarens collide like that is simply unacceptable. »
« We will discuss it with our drivers privately. »
The McLaren team principal stressed that internal competition must never undermine the collective objectives of the organisation.
‘No ego can be above McLaren’
Stella delivered a particularly clear message about the responsibilities of both drivers when competing against each other.
« We will remind everyone that the interests of the team are far more important than those of any one of us. »
« No ego, no individual can be above the interests of McLaren in Formula 1. »
His comments underline McLaren’s determination to prevent its drivers’ rivalry from costing the team further points, particularly as Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes continue to provide strong competition.
Despite his frustration, Stella remains confident that internal discussions can help restore alignment and prevent similar incidents in future races.
Norris acknowledges shared responsibility
Norris confirmed that both drivers had already discussed the collision with the team and acknowledged that neither was satisfied with the outcome.
« As you can imagine, nobody is particularly happy, » Norris said.
« I’m not happy, and Oscar wasn’t happy either. Neither of us wanted it to end like that. »
Rather than placing the blame entirely on his teammate, Norris accepted that both drivers could have handled the situation differently.
« There are things we both could have done better. »
« We’ve spoken about it and moved on. »
The British driver, who currently leads the internal McLaren battle, offered no further details about the discussions but indicated that the matter had been addressed.
McLaren faces renewed questions over driver rivalry
The Singapore collision has revived concerns about how McLaren manages competition between its two drivers.
The team has previously experienced difficult moments involving Norris and Piastri, including their confrontation at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix.
However, the latest incident comes at a particularly challenging point in the season, with McLaren facing increasing pressure from its closest rivals.
With the team unable to compete for victory in Singapore, maximising available points had become an important priority.
Instead, the collision left McLaren with just one point from a Sprint in which both drivers had been running inside the top five.
Stella’s message leaves little room for ambiguity: Norris and Piastri remain free to compete, but their rivalry must not come at the expense of McLaren’s results.
As the team prepares for Sunday’s Grand Prix, avoiding another costly confrontation will be essential to protecting its championship ambitions.
