Guenther Steiner believes Andrea Stella played a major role in Lando Norris changing his attitude after the Singapore Sprint clash with Oscar Piastri. The reigning world champion initially insisted he had nothing to apologise for, but his position shifted significantly after discussions inside McLaren.
By the end of the weekend, Norris had taken responsibility for the incident, apologised to Oscar Piastri and the team, and even offered to support the Australian during Sunday’s Grand Prix as he tried to recover positions.
Lando Norris changed tone after Singapore Sprint clash
The late-Sprint contact between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore triggered significant debate, not only because of the incident itself but also because of Norris’ immediate reaction afterwards.
Speaking to the media after the Sprint, the British driver said he did not feel he needed to apologise to his team-mate and did not consider himself guilty over what had happened.
His position looked very different after Sunday’s race. Norris accepted responsibility, apologised to both Piastri and McLaren, and showed a willingness to help his team-mate during the Grand Prix.
Guenther Steiner praises Andrea Stella’s intervention
For many observers, the change in Norris’ position raised questions over whether the team had intervened directly behind the scenes.
Guenther Steiner offered his view while speaking on the Red Flags podcast, crediting Andrea Stella for helping Norris reassess the situation.
“One day you behave like an asshole and the next day you do the exact opposite,” Steiner said with his usual bluntness.
“Lando sat down and spoke with Andrea Stella and I think Andrea is fantastic in these situations. He made it very clear to him that certain behaviour is not tolerated.”
Steiner rejects idea Norris apologised for political reasons
The former Haas team principal does not believe Norris changed his position simply because McLaren instructed him to do so for political or public-relations reasons.
“I don’t think Lando did it for political reasons, just to say, ‘I’ll apologise and then I’m fine.’ He really thought about it and came to the conclusion that what he had done was a big mistake.”
Steiner stressed that contact between team-mates can happen, but felt Norris’ original reaction was out of character.
“The incident with your team-mate can happen, but his initial reaction wasn’t ‘Lando-like’. He realised he had been too arrogant and understood that he needed to take a step back.”
McLaren tension appears to have eased
The episode therefore became about more than the on-track clash itself. Norris’ change of tone suggested that McLaren had managed to contain the situation before it developed into a deeper internal dispute.
Steiner’s comments point to Stella’s management style as a key factor, particularly his ability to address difficult behaviour directly while giving the driver space to reflect and reach his own conclusion.
For now, calm appears to have returned inside McLaren after a tense Singapore weekend. How long that stability lasts may depend on how the rivalry between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri develops over the final stages of the season.
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