Lando Norris has publicly taken full responsibility and issued an apology to McLaren after colliding with teammate Oscar Piastri during the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix. The incident occurred in the closing laps of Sunday’s race, significantly affecting Norris’s championship campaign.
With three laps remaining, Norris attempted to overtake Piastri for fourth place but ended up striking the rear of his teammate’s car. This collision caused Norris to lose his front wing and forced him to retire immediately, while Piastri managed to finish in fourth position, extending his lead over Norris in the championship standings to 22 points.
Immediate remorse and apology conveyed to McLaren and Piastri
Norris acknowledged the error to his team over the radio, admitting the crash was “all my bad” and “stupid of me.” After the race, he spoke regretfully to Sky Sports F1, saying,
“No one to blame but myself, so I apologise to the whole team and to Oscar as well for attempting something probably a bit too silly,”
—Lando Norris, F1 driver
He further expressed remorse, adding,
“Glad I didn’t ruin in his race. In the end apologies to the team. This was just more silly. This wasn’t even like a ‘that’s racing’, it was just silly from my part.”
When asked about his mindset going forward, Norris said,
“I go to bed tonight and apologise to everyone and then crack on.”
Team reaction highlights internal assessment and impact on championship hopes
Oscar Piastri described the contact as “not ideal” though he accepted Norris’s apology after the race. McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella characterized Norris’s move as a “misjudgement” and confirmed the team would investigate the incident further.
This collision marks Norris’s first retirement of the season and represents a major setback in his pursuit of the first Formula 1 world championship title.
Looking ahead after a difficult weekend in Montreal
The crash between teammates underscores McLaren’s internal challenges as they strive for success in a highly competitive season. With Austria next on the calendar, Norris aims to regroup and maintain focus as he works to reduce the championship gap. How the team manages and recovers from this incident will be critical in shaping their prospects for the remainder of the year.