Lando Norris Faces Scrutiny After Canadian Grand Prix Collision
Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg has weighed in on Lando Norris’ performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, criticizing the McLaren driver for a "very strange misjudgment" in his collision with teammate Oscar Piastri.
On the Sky Sports F1 Show podcast, Rosberg highlighted Norris’ ongoing mental challenges as a critical factor in his recent performances. "It’s been his Achilles heel this year—his mental fragility," Rosberg stated. He pointed out that these issues manifested in qualifying, where Norris qualified seventh despite having one of the fastest cars. "He made two major mistakes in Q3 which impacted his grid position significantly," Rosberg noted.
Norris’ race weekend was marred by further errors, including hitting the wall at Turn 7 during qualifying and subsequently crashing into Piastri’s car on race day. This collision damaged his front wing and suspension, forcing him to retire early from the race. Rosberg commented on the incident, saying, "In the most critical moment, he did a very strange misjudgment, driving right into the back of his teammate."
Following the incident, Norris received a five-second penalty for causing the crash but expressed his regret to the team. "I don’t expect to pass Oscar on the outside into Turn 1," he admitted. In hindsight, he acknowledged the risk associated with his move and expressed relief that Piastri was unharmed.
The collision has widened the gap in points between the two drivers, with Norris now trailing Piastri by 22 points, a substantial increase from the 10-point deficit prior to the race weekend.
As the season progresses, pressure mounts on Norris to restore his performance and consistency.
