McLaren’s United States Grand Prix Setback: First-Lap Collision Claims Both Cars
At the United States Grand Prix, McLaren Racing faced a devastating blow during the Sprint race, as both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris collided on the opening lap, forcing immediate retirements. CEO Zak Brown labeled the incident as “amateur hour driving,” attributing blame primarily to Nico Hulkenberg.
The collision occurred as Piastri attempted to overtake Norris at the apex of Turn 1 while pursuing Max Verstappen. With Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso positioned on the inside, Hulkenberg made contact with Piastri’s left rear, launching the car into the air and resulting in a subsequent hit with Norris.
In his post-race remarks, Brown criticized the driving standards, stating, “Neither of our drivers is to blame…clearly Nico drove into Oscar. He had no business being where he was.” He emphasized the need for accountability among drivers at the front of the grid.
Norris echoed his team principal’s sentiments, expressing his frustration without directly naming Hulkenberg. “I know I did nothing wrong…I just got unlucky,” he stated, acknowledging that the incident was the result of careless driving from competitors behind them.
Piastri also refrained from assigning blame but noted, “I was far enough away from the apex to switch back. It’s a shame.” Both McLaren drivers will need to regroup as they assess the impact of this early retirement on their championship aspirations.
