Source: Official Team Post via X
Jolyon Palmer Identifies Oscar Piastri's Role in Norris Crash at Singapore
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer suggests Oscar Piastri shares the blame for the crash with Lando Norris in the Singapore Sprint. Despite McLaren's initial focus on Norris, Palmer believes the incident was a shared misjudgment.
Lando Norris has been at the center of criticism following his collision with teammate Oscar Piastri during the Singapore Sprint, a mishap that cost McLaren some valuable points. While the immediate aftermath saw McLaren's Zak Brown express his discontent with Norris, Jolyon Palmer has come forward to argue that Piastri isn't entirely free of fault.
Reflecting on the incident, Palmer noted on the F1 Nation podcast that Norris, despite being the subject of much of the blame, was not solely responsible. "Lando seems to be taking some heat from it," Palmer remarked. "But when you actually look at the move, he gets alongside Oscar, is under control when he gets to the apex, but he is backing out as he realizes Oscar isnât going to give him the space."
This perspective suggests that the move was plausible, albeit risky, and Palmer believes that Piastri could have been more accommodating. "Itâs an unlikely corner, but it is on. He was much quicker than Oscar in the entirety of the sprint and he gets this opportunity⊠it is a race," Palmer elaborated. Without team orders to maintain their positions, Norris took the chance to overtake, but Piastriâs decision not to yield led to the clash.
Palmer continued to explain that while Norris initiated the move, Piastriâs actions contributed to the outcome. "Oscar then doesnât give him the space. Lando clatters into him, and the end contact makes it look really egregious from Norris. But when you look at the setup of it, I do think Oscar couldâve given him space. Even when he opens the steering, he then cranks on the lock and he must just be bracing for impact," Palmer analyzed.
The former driverâs assessment aligns with the stewards' decision, which concluded that both drivers were equally culpable. Despite this, Norris was quick to accept responsibility, acknowledging his maneuver as "unnecessary" and later apologizing for the incident. During the Grand Prix, Norris's behavior on team radio suggested remorse, as he offered to support Piastri multiple times.
McLaren's official stance was that Norris was at fault, a position he eventually conceded to. However, Palmer's insights present a more nuanced view, indicating that the collision was the result of a shared misjudgment rather than a single driver's error.