Turn 2 flashpoint, no team orders
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has clarified why the team did not instruct Lando Norris to hand third place back to Oscar Piastri after their lap-one clash at Turn 2 in Singapore. Norris dived down the inside of his teammate, made contact, and held the spot — prompting Piastri to ask if McLaren’s “Papaya Rules” would trigger a swap.
Stella said the team assessed the situation in real time and decided no position change was necessary. Crucially, he added that the contact between Norris and Piastri was “in reality” a consequence of another racing situation involving Norris and Max Verstappen just ahead.
Championship context and internal review
Norris went on to finish third, with Piastri fourth, trimming the Australian’s points lead to 22 with six rounds to go as McLaren clinched the constructors’ title in record-equalling time. Stella emphasized that while no swap was ordered, the incident will be reviewed in the coming days — part of a process aimed at keeping the driver pairing aligned and the team “even more united and stronger.”
The bigger picture
McLaren’s management of robust wheel-to-wheel moments has been a recurring theme in a season where both drivers are consistently in podium contention. Stella’s stance in Singapore underlines a pragmatic philosophy: intervene only when necessary, evaluate calmly afterwards, and prioritize the long game in both championships.
