McLaren CEO Zak Brown has defended Lando Norris following his first-lap clash at the F1 Singapore GP, but he confirmed that the Briton will face a minor “sporting repercussion” ahead of the US GP.
Controlled consequences after Singapore drama
The McLaren boss insisted that both drivers remain free to race as the championship battle continues into the F1 US GP this weekend.
The start at Marina Bay was chaotic. Norris launched aggressively from fifth, clipping Max Verstappen’s Red Bull under braking before making contact with teammate Oscar Piastri as he squeezed through into third. While no stewards’ penalty followed, McLaren’s leadership quickly addressed the incident internally.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the US GP, Brown said: “We review every race. Lando and Oscar had a tough time in Singapore. The start of an F1 race is pretty manic. It was clearly not intentional.”
Brown emphasised that the team’s expectations were already clear from the start of the season.
“We don’t want our cars touching, so we laid out how we go racing at the start of the year,” the American continued. “A little bit of a sporting repercussion in lieu of what happened. We move forward. The drivers are comfortable, they are free to race and we are looking forward to a big race weekend.”
Brown downplays internal penalty
When pressed about the severity of Norris’s punishment, Brown confirmed it would be minor.
He said: “It’s marginal, it’s consistent with what happened. It’s a racing incident at the end of the day, at the start of a grand prix on a track that was somewhat damp. It wasn’t intentional.”
He added that both Norris and Piastri already know the details. “It’s very marginal. It probably won’t be noticed. Lando and Oscar know what it is, which is what’s most important.”
The American CEO reiterated McLaren’s approach to openness but said the focus remains on letting both drivers compete freely.
“Of course we want to be transparent with our fans,” Brown said.
“We are doing it the hard way, trying to let both guys race for the championship, the easy way out would be to have a one and two, as some teams do, but that’s not how McLaren want to go racing.”
The team now turns its attention to the F1 US GP in Austin, a circuit that has traditionally suited McLaren’s high-speed balance and straight-line efficiency. With tensions cooled after Singapore, Brown hopes the weekend will showcase both drivers’ strengths without intra-team risk.
With the Constructor’s Championship wrapped up, Norris remains firmly in the mix for the Driver’s title on 314 points, while Piastri’s consistency has kept his team-mate at bay leading they way on 336. Brown’s comments underline McLaren’s confidence in its driver pairing, one built on mutual respect, even amid fierce rivalry.
Max Verstappen trails in third with 273 points, while George Russell holds fourth with 237 points. With six races remaining, including the Sprint weekend in Austin, the battle for the Drivers’ Championship is intensifying, particularly between the McLaren teammates.
Heading into Austin, McLaren’s message is clear: race hard, race fair, and bring home the points.
