Singapore shows McLaren's management of title rivals Norris, Piastri will only get harder

"SINGAPORE -- It says a lot about the rising tensions in the Formula 1 drivers' championship that the main talking point on Sunday night in Singapore was not George Russell's surprise victory or McLaren's defense of its constructors' title. Even in the early hours of Monday morning, the opening-lap contact between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri was being micro-analyzed -- along with the potential ramifications at the remaining six races of 2025."

"Viewed through the prism of the FIA's racing rules, the contact between teammates was nothing but a racing incident -- the sort of which regularly occurs on the opening lap of a grand prix. Within the space of a minute, the stewards noted the incident and decided not to investigate, meaning the collision, which caused no lasting damage on either car, did not warrant so much as a post-race statement."

"Within the context of McLaren's internal title battle, however, the incident was always going to be more delicate. According to the team's rules of engagement, which promise fairness from the pit wall in exchange for no contact between drivers on track, the incident was not acted upon. But it adds to a growing list of minor incidents and controversies that McLaren is delicately managing as the season reaches its climax."

George Russell won while McLaren defended the constructors' title in Singapore. The opening-lap contact between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri drew intense scrutiny for its implications across the remaining six races. Stewards treated the collision as a routine racing incident and declined to investigate, noting no lasting damage to either car and issuing no post-race statement. McLaren's rules promise pit-wall fairness in exchange for no on-track contact, so the team did not act, yet the incident added to growing internal controversies. At the start, Norris launched from fifth, passed Kimi Antonelli and moved inside Piastri, then clipped Max Verstappen's rear, causing his car to slide.

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