"I should never have done that. Luckily nothing happened to Oscar (Piastri). I paid the price for my mistake": Lando Norris ensures that things remain harmonious at McLaren with his reaction to the crash that was his fault.
16.06.2025, 10:51
16.06.2025, 10:59
SDA
However, after the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, the signs could also point to a storm. For the first time this season, no McLaren made it onto the podium. The orange cars collided for the first time. At last, what many have long expected seemed to be coming true: that the harmony in the McLaren team cannot last because Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are too young and too ambitious and are chasing the world championship title with too much ambition.
Even before the race, Andrea Stella, the boss at McLaren, had said that it was a question of "when" and not "if" there would be a collision. The collision took place at the end of the race in Montreal. But anyone expecting the harmony at McLaren to break down was bitterly disappointed for the time being.
"Made a fool of"
Because Lando Norris remained Lando. He responded to all critical questions with a refreshing honesty not normally seen in Formula 1. Norris: "I thought Oscar (Piastri) was drifting to the right, so there was an opportunity to move to the left. But yes, the risk was far too great, especially for my team-mate. Fortunately, nothing happened to him. I let the team down and I won't forget that in a hurry. If I let my team down and make a fool of myself, then I really regret it."
Norris, perhaps the most self-critical driver in the field, took all the blame over the radio right from the start and even before he got out of the car. He then went to the team boss to apologize. Later, he interrupted a TV interview to approach Piastri, shake his hand and look him in the eye to apologize.
"He says what he thinks"
This impressed Piastri: "Lando (Norris) apologized to me, I think that says a lot. Lando is a very good guy. I think it's in his character and personality to always say exactly what he thinks. If it's detrimental to himself, it doesn't matter to him. That's a great quality in Lando."
Self-criticism is rare in Formula 1. Norris' reaction was in stark contrast to the way Max Verstappen reacted to an obvious mistake of his own two weeks earlier, when he drove into George Russell's car and incurred the penalty for which he is even facing a ban this month (for a further offense). Instead of apologizing, Verstappen made fun of Russell.
Still no team order
And McLaren? Will anything change in the team hierarchy after the crash? Until now, Norris and Piastri have driven on an equal footing and without restrictions. In an initial statement, Team Principal Stella said that "we will maintain our parity and equality between the two drivers in terms of the way we race at McLaren. This might have been different if Lando had not immediately taken responsibility and apologized."
After all, the difference between Piastri and Norris is a mere 22 points. Norris could overtake Piastri in the championship standings as early as the next Grand Prix. And it won't be until the GP after next that we reach the halfway point in Formula 1.
