Stella rebukes McLaren drivers after costly Singapore sprint collision

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has criticised Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after their collision on the final lap of Saturday's Singapore sprint, describing contact between the team's cars as unacceptable. According to BBC Sport's reporting, Stella said both drivers had been reminded that McLaren's interests must take priority after an incident that cost the team valuable championship points.

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Piastri and Norris were running fourth and fifth when Norris attempted to pass his team-mate on the inside at Turn Five. The cars made contact and both spun, with Piastri hitting the barriers and retiring. Norris continued but dropped to eighth. Positions that had been worth a combined nine points therefore produced just one for McLaren at the finish.

The stewards took no action, concluding that both drivers had contributed to the collision. Piastri told the hearing he had not expected an overtaking attempt at that corner and had tried to make room once he saw Norris. Norris maintained that his position entitled him to attempt the pass under the rules, saying he had braked and crossed the kerb when the available space proved smaller than expected.

Norris also said he had apologised because he was the driver making the attacking move. While continuing to defend his right to challenge for the position, he acknowledged that the incident would not have happened had he stayed behind. He said neither driver was happy with the outcome, that both could have handled aspects of it better, and that they had discussed what happened.

Stella placed the lost points in the context of McLaren's constructors' championship position. Before the Singapore Grand Prix, the team stood third, only 11 points ahead of Red Bull, according to the BBC. He said the collision damaged both McLaren's ambition to challenge Ferrari for second and its efforts to remain ahead of Red Bull.

The team principal said previous discussions about racing each other had already established the need to protect McLaren's interests. He expressed disappointment that another incident had occurred but said the response would remain constructive. Stella also said the detailed conversations would stay within the team, with the aim of learning from the collision and emerging more united.