Canadian Grand Prix: Norris Collides with Piastri, Both McLaren Drivers Exit Race
In a regrettable turn of events at the Canadian Grand Prix, Lando Norris collided with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri on lap 67, leading to both drivers exiting the race. Norris, who was attempting to overtake Piastri for fourth place, miscalculated the maneuver and crashed into the wall, expressing immediate regret over team radio.
"I’m sorry,” Norris acknowledged. “All my bad. All my fault. Stupid from me." His comments encapsulated the sentiment of disappointment shared within the McLaren team, as Norris fell 22 points behind his rival in the championship standings.
Despite the collision, Piastri managed to maintain fourth position, albeit with damage to his car. After the race, Norris elaborated on the incident, stating he believed there was sufficient space before Piastri closed the gap. "I thought he was starting to drift a little to the right, so I assumed I had a small opportunity to go left; it was way too much risk, especially against my teammate,” he admitted.
Norris, who emphasized the importance of adhering to team protocols—including avoiding contact with teammates—reflected on the need for accountability. “I let my team down like this, and I have a lot of regret,” he stated, underlining his commitment to better teamwork.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown had previously anticipated that intra-team conflict could occur in their title aspirations, marking this incident as a pivotal moment in the team dynamics.
Both drivers struggled for pace in qualifying, indicating ongoing challenges for McLaren in that area, with Norris acknowledging, “It’s quite obvious to us that our weakness is qualifying at the minute.”
The team will now initiate a debrief to analyze and address the issues raised during this race weekend as they move forward in the season.
