McLaren Boss Explains Why Team Didn’t Switch Drivers After First-Lap Collision
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has revealed why the team refused Oscar Piastri‘s request to swap positions with Lando Norris following their first-lap contact at the Singapore Grand Prix.
“The first-lap situation is one of those things that can happen with such close racing,” Stella said after the race.
The incident unfolded when Norris made a brilliant start, jumping past Antonelli and pulling alongside Piastri heading into Turn 1. Things quickly got messy as Norris first collided with Max Verstappen at Turn 3, which then sent his car veering into Piastri’s McLaren.
A frustrated Piastri immediately got on the radio asking the team to switch the positions.
McLaren’s leadership denied the request, leaving the young Australian clearly annoyed.
Stella believes the collision between teammates wasn’t a straightforward case of one driver being at fault.
“In terms of the contact between our two drivers, this incident was a consequence of another racing situation that happened between Lando and Verstappen,” he explained. “Because there was contact, this will lead to a review and some good conversations.”
The team principal promised they would handle the situation just like they did after a previous incident between the drivers.
“We will review the situation together with our drivers, and we’ll have good conversations like we did after Canada,” Stella said. “That review allowed us to come back, as we said at the time, even more united and stronger as a team.”
“We’ll see if there’s any learning or anything we need to fine-tune in terms of our approach,” he added.
McLaren faces a delicate balancing act managing two talented drivers who are both fighting for results. The team currently has a real shot at the constructors’ championship, making harmony between Norris and Piastri more crucial than ever.
“At the moment, we believe that this contact was more a result of another racing situation,” Stella reiterated, suggesting the team doesn’t view either driver as primarily responsible.
How the team handles this latest tension could prove critical to their championship aspirations as the season enters its final stretch.
