McLaren Breaks Silence on Shock Crash Between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at Canadian GP

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella condemned the late-race collision between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Canadian GP.

McLaren Breaks Silence on Shock Crash Between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at Canadian GP

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (via F1)

The two McLarens remained on the backfoot at the Canadian GP after they couldn’t achieve a front-row start. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris‘ pace remained strong throughout the race despite both of them not having a realistic shot at winning the race. To make matters worse, Norris collided with the rear of Piastri’s car and ruined his race, granting him zero points over the weekend. Now, the team comes clean on the matter and declares their brutal opinion on the clash.

Lando Norris carried out a great move against Oscar Piastri during the final stages of the Canadian GP and could’ve easily held onto the spot if he had raced carefully. However, the 25-year-old lost the position immediately and made a last-ditch effort to overtake his Australian counterpart. During this move, Norris collided with the back of Piastri and wrecked his car near the starting grid, causing a late race safety car.

As Norris walks out of the race with zero points, taking a massive hit at his running in the drivers’ championship, McLaren’s Team Principal Andrea Stella has put forth his opinion on the matter. The two drivers who were bound by the Papaya Rules to avoid exactly these situations have failed to get a grip on their drivers as they race one another hard.

Andrea Stella accepted that the team as a whole never wants to witness the teammates being involved in an accident. The team boss believes that they must review the incident and ensure that such a situation doesn’t arise ever again. Still, Stella applauded the fact that Lando Norris immediately took responsibility for the incident and called himself out for his ‘stupid’ move.

We never want to see the two McLaren’s involved in a incident. We need to review. It was a misjudgement. Lando immediately took responsibilty for it.

Andrea Stella said in a post-race conference

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to ‘learn more’ after misjudgment in Canada

Both McLaren drivers had kept their on-track battles completely incident-free up until the Canadian GP. While the crash wasn’t due to both of them racing hard, it was definitely avoidable. As such, both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris must take a look back at the incident and ensure that such a situation never arises again, as it could cost the team severely in the coming races.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (via Getty)
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (via Getty)

Andrea Stella reassured that both McLaren drivers will learn more from the incident and go racing again as the 2025 season is just ten races in. Stella pointed out that Norris suffered from a misjudgment that cost him dearly, as he would never want such a situation again. Now, it is up to the Papaya Squad to maximize points in the coming races and hold onto their lead in both championships.

Our drivers will learn, and we go racing again. It is a misjudgement that cost Lando quite a lot in the Championship.

Andrea Stella noted

McLaren’s pace seemed insignificant against the rivals, especially Mercedes and Red Bull at the Canadian GP. It seems that the rivals are finally catching up to the exorbitant lead of the Orange team in terms of pace. The British-based constructor needs to assess the situation carefully and come up with upgrades that ensure that they remain at the top of their game in the development war.

Also Read: George Russell Asserts Max Verstappen Won’t Change Driving Style over Race Ban Threat at Canadian GP