Norris accepts responsibility for Piastri pass attempt in Singapore sprint

Lando Norris said he should never have attempted the pass on Oscar Piastri that ended in their Singapore sprint collision, calling it a mistake that let McLaren down.

After the Grand Prix the following day, Norris said he needed to think more about McLaren than himself, even if the overtaking opportunity was there. “I should never have attempted it in the first place,” he said.

A day earlier, after qualifying, Norris had acknowledged fault but still defended his right to go for the gap.

The attempt came at Turn Five on the sprint's final lap. Both cars spun after contact: Piastri hit the barriers and retired, while Norris dropped from fifth to eighth. A prospective nine points for McLaren became one.

Had the pass worked, Norris would have gained one point and Piastri lost one, with no change to the team's total.

BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson judged that the attempt was legitimate under the driving-standards guidelines until Norris began backing out. He also argued that Piastri could have allowed more space and continued the contest on the following straight.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said both drivers had quickly agreed with his assessment that the collision was unacceptable. He made clear that the team would maintain fair treatment and equal status for the pair. Discussions were still continuing, he said, with the focus on putting McLaren's interests ahead of individual interests.

During the Grand Prix, Norris offered to help Piastri as the Australian tried to pass Lewis Hamilton late in the race. Stella said he was pleased to see Norris adopt that team-first approach.