Why McLaren couldn’t reprise its 2024 Marina Bay dominance — and what Norris vs Piastri revealed
After tricky outings at Monza and Baku, Singapore looked tailor-made for McLaren’s MCL39 to return to centre stage. Expectations were high — Marina Bay’s layout should have flattered the car’s strengths — but the team fell short of last year’s overwhelming performance.
Performance: the gap that shouldn’t have been
The Singapore street circuit was tipped to play to McLaren’s advantages, yet the anticipated edge didn’t materialize. The spotlight returned to Red Bull and Mercedes in key moments, with McLaren managing points but missing victory.
Lap 1 flashpoint: Norris vs Piastri
On the opening lap, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made contact as they fought for position. Piastri questioned the fairness of the situation and McLaren’s internal "no contact" guidelines, noting that Norris gained a place in the process. The team chose not to intervene, and Norris stayed ahead to the flag, trimming three points from Piastri’s championship lead.
Brundle’s read: the dynamic just shifted
Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle expects the relationship to change "irrevocably" from here. With McLaren having already wrapped up the constructors’ title in Singapore, he even floated the idea of letting the pair "duke it out, gloves off" — with the usual caveats about finishing races, avoiding penalties, and managing scarce upgraded parts as attention pivots toward 2026.
Big picture
Singapore exposed that McLaren can still be vulnerable on weekends where rivals hit their sweet spot. It also signalled a harder edge in the title fight inside the garage. How the team manages both fronts could define the run-in.
