Norris makes frank admission to close Piastri chapter for good

The two McLaren teammates collided at Turn 5 on the final lap of Saturday's Sprint, when Norris attempted to overtake Piastri as they battled behind Charles Leclerc. Both drivers spun following the contact, with Piastri retiring after hitting the barriers while Norris managed to continue and finish eighth.

Although the stewards decided against taking further action, concluding that neither driver was predominantly responsible, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella described the incident as unacceptable and insisted that the team's interests must always come before those of its drivers.

Norris initially defended his decision to attempt the move, arguing that there was enough space to overtake. However, after discussions within McLaren, the Briton acknowledged that he should have approached the situation differently.

Asked whether he expected further discussions with McLaren and how the conversations had gone so far, Norris gave a straightforward response, suggesting that there was little left to debate about his responsibility for the incident.

"No, it's pretty straightforward," he told GPBlog among other media after the race. "I can't attempt what I did. I should never have attempted in the first place, even if the move was on. I've got to think of the team that I represent more than myself.

Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix offered McLaren an opportunity to recover from Saturday's disappointment, with Norris and Piastri finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

The two drivers avoided further contact and remained close together during the opening stages of the race. Norris subsequently found himself battling Lewis Hamilton for position, although his hopes of securing a podium finish suffered when he ran wide during their fight, allowing Kimi Antonelli to move ahead.

The Mercedes driver eventually secured third place, leaving Norris to settle for fourth behind Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Antonelli. Piastri, meanwhile, faced an additional setback after a slow puncture forced him into an unscheduled second pit stop. The Australian recovered through the field and overtook Hamilton on the final lap to finish fifth, completing a double points finish for McLaren.

Norris also demonstrated his willingness to prioritise the team's interests during the closing stages, offering over the radio to help Piastri overtake Hamilton by slowing the Ferrari down. The intervention ultimately proved unnecessary, as Piastri completed the move without assistance.