McLaren Warned of Another Oscar Piastri-Lando Norris Clash as Orders Are Set

McLaren are preparing for the possibility of another on-track clash between their Formula 1 drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris after the pair made contact during the Canadian Grand Prix. The incident happened on lap 66 as the two drivers were battling for fourth place at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Norris clipped the rear of Piastri’s car, which forced him to retire from the race. Meanwhile, Piastri managed to keep going and finished fourth, stretching his championship lead to 22 points.

Team boss Andrea Stella commented after the race that everyone at McLaren, including CEO Zak Brown, had anticipated that a collision was bound to happen at some stage during the season. Both drivers are in strong form and regularly compete near the top of the standings, increasing the risk of such incidents as the championship fight intensifies.

Norris took full responsibility and apologized for the collision immediately following the race. Stella addressed the situation with a clear instruction to both drivers, stressing that contact between McLaren teammates should not happen.

He said that while losing valuable points was disappointing, it was fortunate there was no double penalty, with only Norris suffering in the standings. Stella also pointed out that the pressure and close racing over a record 24-race calendar, with additional sprint events, means more opportunities for similar situations to arise.

Piastri holds first in the drivers’ standings with 198 points after the Canadian race, while Norris is close behind in second with 176 points. On the team leaderboard, McLaren leads with a combined 374 points, ahead of Mercedes’ 199 and Ferrari’s 183.

The consistent performance from both drivers is a key reason for McLaren’s current championship position, but incidents like this threaten to disrupt momentum for the team. Reflecting on race details, Stella indicated that while neither driver had reckless intent, judgement when fighting wheel-to-wheel must improve in future races.

He highlighted the DRS zone approaching the final chicane as a particularly risky area, where misjudgements have occurred in previous events—not only for McLaren, but across the field. The focus now switches to making sure such costly mistakes do not happen again.

As the season continues, both McLaren drivers remain central to the championship fight, and their rivalry is likely to keep delivering unpredictable moments. With so many races remaining, team leadership believe this experience could make both drivers and the team more resilient.

The next event on the calendar is the Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring on June 29, where McLaren will work to secure maximum points while keeping team harmony intact.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.