McLaren stablemates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri colliding at the Canadian GP has dramatically shifted the F1 championship battle. In a late race incident between the title rivals, Lando Norris retired from the Canadian GP, handing his teammate, Oscar Piastri, a major advantage in the standings.
How it happened
The incident unfolded as George Russell led comfortably at the front. Behind him, the fight for fourth was intensifying, with Norris chasing Piastri in the closing laps. Piastri strategically used DRS from rookie Kimi Antonelli ahead, allowing him to keep Norris at bay until lap 67.
Out of the hairpin, both McLarens ran side by side onto the start finish straight. Norris, aiming to complete the overtake, attempted to squeeze through a narrow gap on Piastri’s left. This ambitious move backfired as he clipped the rear of his teammate’s car.
The contact sent Norris into the trackside barrier, with an impact causing enough damage so that it forced his immediate retirement from the race.
Piastri managed to continue racing despite damage from the incident. The Aussie secured fourth place as the race finished under the safety car.
Norris immediately accepted responsibility for the collision with his teammate over team radio. He called his overtaking attempt “stupid” and apologized to the team.
The incident marks the first on track contact between the championship rivals this season.
Championship damage after Norris and Piastri collision
The consequences for the title fight are significant. Heading into the Canadian GP, Piastri held a slim 10 point lead over Norris. That advantage has now stretched to 22 points, nearly the equivalent of a full race win.
Norris missed out on crucial championship points at the Canadian GP. The fifth place finish would have earned him 10 valuable points towards closing the gap. If he had made the pass he would have gained 12 points.
Each remaining race offers a maximum 25 points for victory, with additional opportunities at upcoming sprint weekends in Spa, Austin, Sao Paulo, and Lusail.
McLaren’s papaya rules under pressure
The team implemented “papaya rules” specifically to prevent teammate collisions during the later half of the 2024 season. Team CEO Zak Brown previously acknowledged such incidents were inevitable.
The collision puts McLaren’s team management to the test. The team must now balance maintaining harmony between their drivers while keeping focus on both championship fights.
Stewards decision on Norris and Piastri crash at F1 Canadian GP
Race officials investigated the Norris Piastri collision for “alleged causing a collision.” The stewards reviewed the collision and met with both drivers to determine the outcome.
Lando Norris was handed a 5-second penalty for the collision. He avoids a grid drop for Austria.
“The Stewards determined that the driver of Car 4 was solely to blame for the collision. Because the collision had no immediate and obvious sporting consequence, we imposed a 5 second time post-race time penalty on Car 4.”
Looking beyond the Canadian GP incident
The Norris Piastri collision could define McLaren’s championship campaign. With 14 races remaining and additional sprint opportunities, Norris faces the daunting task of consistently outperforming his teammate by significant margins to mount a comeback. The crash shows how quickly things can change in F1, turning McLaren’s dream of having two drivers fighting for the championship into their biggest headache.
