Last week in Austin, one word dominated the Formula 1 paddock above all others.
The grid arrived at the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix, and a fresh new race week. However, the opening lap of the Singapore Grand Prix two weeks prior still hung over the paddock. It was then that Lando Norris, in an attempt to fight forward in the field, made contact first with the rear of Max Verstappen’s RB21 before sliding to the right in an evasive move, only to make contact with teammate Oscar Piastri.
That move rubbed Piastri the wrong way — literally and figuratively — and Norris’ McLaren teammate was all over the radio to make his case for intervention from the pit wall. That never came, but we learned in Austin that post-race debriefs back in Woking led to “repercussions” for Norris’ actions.
What those were, however, remained a matter of speculation.
Now the sides are back to a “clean slate,” thanks seemingly in part to an opening-lap incident in the F1 Sprint race Saturday at the United States Grand Prix that knocked both Norris and Piastri out of the running, an incident that Piastri conceded he bore some “degree of responsiblity for” Thursday in Mexico City.
“Yeah, we’ve gone through it again – and we go through every weekend regardless of what’s happened,” said Piastri in the FIA Press Conference on Thursday. “And I think there is a degree of responsibility from my side in the sprint.
“We’re starting this weekend with a clean slate for both of us. So, yeah, just going out and racing and see who can come out on top.”
Asked later in the session if that meant that Norris’ repercussions had been removed, Piastri confirmed that was indeed the case.
“Yes, the consequences from Lando’s side have been removed,” said Piastri. “And yes, ultimately, it was that. There’s a lot of factors involved, but ultimately, yes – that’s what’s been decided.”
Piastri remains in the lead for the Drivers’ Championship, 14 points ahead of Norris and 40 clear of a hard-charging Max Verstappen. The Australian driver addressed the state of play in the title race on Thursday, outlining why, despite the current storylines, he would rather be the hunted than the hunter.
“I think, obviously, the gap has shrunk a little bit in the last few races, but for me, the focus has always been on just trying to go as fast as I can and get the most out of every weekend – which in some of the weekends we have, some of them we definitely haven’t,” said Piastri. “So that’s really all I’m focused on. And I think if I do a good enough job of getting on top of that every weekend, then it doesn’t really matter what the picture looks like.
“I think everyone likes a good underdog story or, you know, trying to come back is sometimes a bit easier. But I’d rather have the championship lead than be in any other spot. So, yeah, I’ve always kind of said I enjoy that because it normally means you’re doing something right. And I think through the course of the season we have done a lot of things right, and there are some things that we can still do even better.”
Piastri will get his chance to do things a little better this weekend in Mexico City.
Without any repercussions looming over McLaren.
