Neither Norris nor Piastri: Montoya names real culprit in McLaren clash

Speaking to Spanish outlet AS, Montoya argued that it was wrong to place all the blame on Norris. He believes any other driver in Piastri's position would not have sent their car into the corner "like a madman", relying on the team's rules to force their teammate to back off.

On the final lap of the Sprint, Norris attempted to overtake Piastri for fourth place at Turn 5. However, Piastri closed the door and the two McLaren drivers collided, sending the Australian spinning into the barriers and forcing him to retire. Norris was able to continue and eventually finished eighth, leaving McLaren with just one point instead of the nine they were on course to score.

Both drivers were summoned by the stewards, who ultimately decided to take no further action after determining that both contributed to the collision. However, the general feeling in the paddock was that Norris bore greater responsibility, having attempted the overtake.

Much of the reaction since the incident has focused on Norris, with former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer questioning his judgement. Montoya, however, has offered a different perspective, pointing the finger at McLaren's internal rules.

Montoya's defence of Norris comes despite the British driver already admitting his mistake. Immediately after the Sprint, Norris stood by his attempted overtake, insisting: "I have the right to do that." However, Norris changed his stance the following day after finishing fourth in the Grand Prix. Speaking to the media, including GPBlog, he admitted:

This is not the first time Montoya has questioned Piastri's role in an incident involving Norris. Following their collision at last year's Singapore Grand Prix, the Colombian defended Norris's aggressive move and criticised the Australian's actions, saying: "Oscar acted like a fool for once."

The matter remains unresolved within McLaren, with team principal Andrea Stella confirming that discussions with both drivers are ongoing. Stella wants Norris and Piastri to prioritise the team's interests, particularly with Red Bull now just seven points behind in the constructors' standings.

Meanwhile, Zak Brown has made it clear to both drivers that a repeat of their Singapore collision will not be tolerated. The next race is the United States Grand Prix in Austin, scheduled for 23–25 October.