At first glance, the crash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix might have seemed disastrous for McLaren. But CEO Zak Brown has revealed that, in hindsight, it ended up being a positive moment for the team.
The Canadian Grand Prix a blessing in disguise for McLaren F1?
Heading into Circuit Gilles‑Villeneuve, McLaren had been performing brilliantly. Piastri claimed five wins and Norris two in just nine races. Brown admits that with two highly competitive teammates on a hot streak, a clash was only a matter of time.
That clash came late in the race. Norris and Piastri tangled wheels, eliminating Norris from contention and dropping Piastri to fourth. Norris took full responsibility. Initially, this looked like a big mistake, but Brown sees it differently.
“In hindsight, Montréal was a useful moment,” he said. “It deflated the tension and got it all out in the open.”
By confronting the incident head-on, the team cleared the air. Brown believes the whole squad gained confidence, understanding that “racing mistakes happen” and can be overcome.
Maintaining a clean, competitive rivalry
With Piastri and Norris now just eight points apart in the drivers’ standings, and with Max Verstappen trailing by over 60, Brown is embracing this tight battle. His advice? Keep things equal, transparent, professional, and let the drivers decide.
“We’ll treat them equally… may the best man win,” Brown said. He also emphasised the respect and cleanliness shown by both drivers. “You don’t feel like one’s going to run the other off the track.”
Clean aggression, yes, crossing the line, no.
Into the final stretch
This intra-team battle promises to be intense, potentially going down to the wire. Brown anticipates there will be more mistakes under pressure, but he believes the team’s framework – open communication, fairness, mutual respect – will keep things in check.
If Piastri and Norris stay focused and battle cleanly, this rivalry could not only entertain fans, it could push McLaren to even greater heights.
