F1 | Sparks at McLaren: Andrea Stella comments on Oscar Piastri–Lando Norris clash. Andrea Stella comments on the on-track clash between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Another collision between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris occurred at the Singapore Grand Prix, with McLaren team principal Andrea Stella commenting on the Australian driver’s team radio messages.

Although McLaren left the Singapore GP securing the Constructors’ Championship, the weekend was not entirely smooth. One of the main issues of the Grand Prix was the contact at the start between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The Australian, starting third, was blocked by Max Verstappen’s slow getaway, which allowed his teammate, starting from fifth, to immediately squeeze inside. At turn 3, in an attempt to avoid a direct collision with the Dutch Red Bull, Lando Norris slightly nudged Piastri wide, causing minor damage to his own front wing.

Following the contact, Piastri expressed his frustration over the radio to his race engineer, Tom Stallard, calling the move “not very team-oriented” and “unfair,” after learning that the team would not intervene regarding the situation.

Stella’s comments

After the race, team principal Andrea Stella spoke to the media about the incident: “Obviously, Oscar made some statements while he was in the car, but this is exactly the type of character we want from our drivers. They need to make their positions very clear. That’s what we ask of them. At the same time, we need to put things into perspective: the perspective of a driver in a Formula 1 car, with the intensity of the opening lap, and the fact that Lando moved toward him. But we know that, in reality, Lando had a contact with Verstappen and lost control towards Oscar.”

The Italian manager also recalled how a similar incident in Canada turned into a learning opportunity for the team: “This time as well, we will carry out constructive analyses. After Canada, we came back stronger and more united, and I am confident that the same will happen again.”