McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri came together for the first time at the Canadian Grand Prix. Team boss Zak Brown had predicted such an incident, and it came true in Montreal.
Running P4 and P5 in the closing stages, Norris was displaying stronger pace than his teammate. With a handful of laps to go, the Brit overtook Piastri into the hairpin, only to lose the position heading into the chicane.
On lap 67, the McLaren duo were within DRS range of Kimi Antonelli in third, but Norris attempted another overtake on Piastri down the main straight. With little to no room on the inside, the 25-year-old collided with his teammate’s rear-left wheel and hit the wall.
The incident was almost identical to Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button’s collision in 2011. Norris retired from the race as it finished under the safety car, with Piastri coming home P4.
Damon Hill was disappointed by Norris and Piastri’s crash as the Canadian Grand Prix was set for a strong finish. The safety car somewhat dampened George Russell’s victory for Mercedes.
Piastri has extended his lead in the drivers’ championship despite not finishing on the podium. His crash with his teammate has prompted much debate as to whether it was necessary and what it means for the title fight.
Photo by Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Fred Vasseur says Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s crash in Canada is ‘good for the fans’
Norris was quick to admit full responsibility for the accident over the radio and apologised to Piastri in the media pen after the race. Interestingly, Jacques Villeneuve labelled Piastri ‘nasty’ for his part in the crash, claiming that he should not have moved so far to the left.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was asked about the accident on Sky Sports F1 on the plane to New York for the F1 Movie premiere. He also had a surprise take on the matter, saying that it is ‘good for the fans’ as the sport wants to attract a new audience.
“Yeah, I saw what’s happened yesterday,” he said with a laugh.
“Yeah, it’s part of the show and I think it’s good for the fans, good for the new fans because we have to keep in mind that we want to attract new fans and [a] new audience for F1.
“And I think this is part of the game. Not too often, but it’s part of the game.”
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
Ferrari lose second place in the constructors’ championship after the Canadian Grand Prix
While McLaren had a disaster with their drivers coming together, things were not much better at Ferrari as they could only manage P5 and P6. Charles Leclerc offered little competition to the frontrunners, while Lewis Hamilton sustained damage after running over a Groundhog.
Mercedes’ double podium moves them back in front of Ferrari in the constructors’ championship. The Maranello outfit are still struggling to find the right balance and competitive edge with the SF-25.
Hamilton complained about brake issues during the race, saying he had ‘no rear’ in an unheard radio message. The 40-year-old’s woes are continuing at Ferrari, as the issue cost him up to 25 seconds.
Radio communication proved to be a problem again in Montreal, as Hamilton was confused by Ferrari’s tyre strategy in qualifying. The team have more questions than answers as more pressure mounts on Vasseur.
