Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided on the final lap of the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint at Marina Bay, turning a potential strong points haul for McLaren into disappointment. Running fourth and fifth while chasing Charles Leclerc’s struggling Ferrari, the teammates came together at Turn 5. Norris, the world champion in the No. 1 McLaren, dived to the inside of Piastri in an ambitious overtaking attempt. Contact occurred as Piastri turned in and Norris’s front-left wheel struck Piastri’s rear-right tyre. Both cars spun and Piastri hit the wall and retired with damage, while Norris recovered to finish eighth and claim the final point.
The stewards investigated and took no further action. They ruled that both drivers contributed and neither was wholly or predominantly to blame. Piastri said he had not expected the move and tried to leave space once he saw Norris. While the world champion argued his front axle was ahead of Piastri’s mirror and expected room, but found less space than anticipated and had to use the kerb.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella called the clash not acceptable. Norris initially defended the attempt but later took full responsibility after overnight discussions, admitting he should never have gone for the move and that he had let the team down. The incident cost McLaren eight championship points they had been on course to score.
How the Sprint Unfolded
The 20-lap Sprint was chaotic from the start as heavy rain delayed the beginning by half an hour. George Russell seized the lead from polesitter Max Verstappen but crashed out at the end of lap one after losing control on the mixed-condition track, bringing out the Safety Car. Nine cars failed to finish which was also a record for an F1 Sprint. It included early retirements for Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez, Isack Hadjar, Franco Colapinto and a multi-car tangle involving Alex Albon, Gabriel Bortoleto and Valtteri Bottas.
Verstappen controlled the race after the restart, leading almost throughout to claim his first Marina Bay victory of any kind, finishing 2.5 seconds clear of Lewis Hamilton with Leclerc third. Kimi Antonelli finished fourth after the McLaren collision, followed by Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg. Norris’s recovery to eighth gave McLaren a solitary point. Verstappen’s win boosted his championship momentum heading into the main Grand Prix.
