Norris-Piastri clash revives tensions at McLaren

At the start of the 2025 edition, Norris forced Piastri out of his way. Neither car was damaged, but the incident strained relations with McLaren while the two drivers were fighting for the championship. A year later, another clash between the teammates brought the episode back to the team’s attention.

The latest collision followed an incident at the Canadian Grand Prix, where Norris ran into the back of Piastri. McLaren briefly raised the prospect of “repercussions” for its driver, without specifying what they would be. The more recent clash carried a tangible cost: it affected McLaren’s battle with Red Bull for third place, added to the mechanics’ workload during a sprint weekend and required Piastri’s gearbox to be replaced.

Andrea Stella called the incident “unacceptable”. The McLaren team principal said the material damage made the situation serious, with the team fighting in the championship and aiming to finish ahead of Red Bull. He also recalled that the team and its drivers had already reflected together on how to race while protecting the team’s interests.

Stella said he was not surprised by the unpredictability of drivers, but was disappointed by the consequences for the team. Norris apologised and was reprimanded by McLaren. Following qualifying, Norris nevertheless said that he and Piastri each had further scope to prevent the collision. The stewards took no further action.

Stella said discussions had already begun after the sprint, while stressing that the team and drivers needed to remain in the best possible condition to continue the weekend. He said he trusted both drivers to learn from the episode and called for collective reflection rather than a search for an individual to blame. The stated aim is to make McLaren more united and prevent this kind of situation from happening again.