Source: Official Team Post via X
Lando Norris Clears the Air on McLaren Team Orders Before US Grand Prix
Lando Norris provides clarity on McLaren's team orders following a collision with teammate Oscar Piastri in Singapore. Despite the incident, Norris confirms that both drivers are free to race each other, with caution advised to avoid future collisions.
Lando Norris is aiming for a comeback at the United States Grand Prix after a challenging time in Singapore. Ahead of the race in Austin, Norris has addressed McLaren's stance on intra-team orders following a collision with Oscar Piastri, his teammate and reigning World Champion.
The incident occurred on the final lap of the Sprint in Singapore, with Norris taking responsibility despite the stewards ruling it a racing incident. As the team prepares for the race in Austin, Norris confirmed that he and Piastri would still be allowed to race each other but emphasized that another collision would not be acceptable.
"I got plenty of telling-offs, and plenty of words have been said. But we’re still allowed to race," Norris stated. He added, "Of course, we can’t have what happened last weekend, or what happened here last year happening again. So, no, we’re still allowed to race, but obviously, we can’t have a coming together, and we have to avoid that at every opportunity possible."
McLaren has struggled to maintain their summer form, where Norris secured victories in Hungary and the Netherlands along with three pole positions. Norris acknowledged the challenges with the current car, stating it has been one of the hardest he's ever driven.
"This was a car in which putting together a Qualifying lap was almost impossible, and being as quick as we were was almost impossible," Norris commented. "I was on pole three times by, I don’t know, two hundredths of a second or something — or not even on pole. It wasn’t like we were just winning everything and it was easy."
Despite the difficulties, Norris remains optimistic about their chances for another win this year but stresses the need for a more drivable car in the future. "This isn’t a car you can win a championship with. I still believe a win is possible this year. We just need a quicker car now if we want to get another win. But going into next year, we need a car that’s a lot more drivable and easier to drive. You cannot win a championship with how difficult the car is to drive at the minute," he concluded.