Norris-Piastri Incident in Singapore Sprint: Stewards Take No Action, McLaren Race to Repair
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- Steward FIA memutuskan tidak menjatuhkan hukuman kepada Lando Norris setelah tabrakan dengan rekan setimnya, Oscar Piastri, di lap terakhir sprint GP Singapura.
- Kedua pembalap dianggap sama-sama berkontribusi pada insiden, sehingga tidak ada pihak yang disalahkan secara dominan.
- McLaren harus bekerja cepat memperbaiki mobil Piastri yang rusak berat sebelum sesi kualifikasi yang tertunda.
Lando Norris escaped a penalty after a controversial incident with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri on the final lap of the Singapore Grand Prix sprint. The collision, which left Piastri unable to finish and Norris eighth, was judged by the FIA stewards as a racing incident not predominantly caused by either driver.
The incident occurred when Norris tried to overtake Piastri on the inside at Turn 5 on the final lap of the 20-lap sprint, held in mixed track conditions. Norris was too late to abort the move, hit the right rear corner of Piastri's car, and sent both cars spinning. Piastri was forced to end his race due to severe rear damage, while Norris continued and finished eighth.
After the race, Norris was summoned to the FIA stewards to explain his actions. In the decision document cited by Motorsport.com, the stewards stated that the driver of car 81 (Piastri) did not anticipate the overtake attempt and only became aware of car 1 (Norris) on the inside after entering the corner. Norris argued that his front axle was ahead of Piastri's mirror before the apex, entitling him to room. However, the space available turned out to be narrower than he expected, forcing him onto the inside kerb and to brake, which led to the collision.
The stewards found that both drivers contributed to the incident and that neither was wholly or predominantly to blame. "We decided to take no further action," the stewards' statement read.
"On the last lap, there was a big opportunity at Turn 5, so I took it. The gap closed more than I expected, and I had to abort because the gap was closing, so I had to try to avoid an incident. But it still happened. However, the gap was big enough, so I took it. I was entitled to do so. The rest, we will review as a team," Norris said.
Piastri himself said he had not yet watched the incident in detail. "I need to see it. I didn't see it at the apex. I looked back towards the corner and he was far enough behind for a corner like that, but I will look at it and the team can do what needs to be done," he said.
Beyond the lost points, the McLaren team also faced time pressure to repair Piastri's badly damaged car so it would be ready for qualifying. Qualifying was delayed until 21:30 local time, and McLaren mechanics had to work quickly to change the gearbox on Piastri's car. The gearbox change did not incur a penalty because the team was allowed to start working on the car after the sprint ended at 19:13 local time. Piastri ultimately managed to take part at the start of Q1.
The incident adds to the list of tensions between the two McLaren drivers, who are competing closely in their debut season with the team. Although both have been impressive, on-track friction like this can test the team management's ability to maintain harmony and focus on the constructors' target. The stewards' decision not to penalise Norris also confirms that the incident was purely a racing accident, not a deliberate error.
Going forward, McLaren needs to ensure similar incidents do not recur, especially when both drivers are fighting for position. With the championship battle tightening, every point matters. Will Norris and Piastri be able to maintain professionalism and avoid internal conflict that could harm the team? Only time will tell, but public and media scrutiny of the dynamics in the McLaren garage will only intensify.
