Oscar Piastri blasted Lando Norris’ driving and then accused McLaren of being “unfair” as the world championship rivals collided on the opening lap of a Singapore Grand Prix won by George Russell.
The title tension between team-mates Norris and Piastri has bubbled along all season without ever boiling over, but that all changed on the first lap when they banged wheels at the third corner.
Norris, who started two places behind Piastri in fifth, cleared his title rival with an aggressive move that was noted by the stewards but not investigated.
Much to Piastri’s fury, McLaren then elected against swapping their drivers with Norris crossing the line in third place, one position ahead of Piastri.
Max Verstappen held off Norris in the closing stages to finish runner-up to keep his outside chances of a fifth-consecutive title alive.
Norris now trails Piastri by 22 points in the standings with Verstappen a further 63 points off the championship pace with 174 points still to play for across the concluding six rounds.
McLaren clinched the constructors’ championship for the second year in a row on a bittersweet night for the British team.
Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, one place ahead of Charles Leclerc with Lewis Hamilton seventh following a late brake problem.
McLaren have so far managed to keep a lid on the brewing rivalry between two men bidding to be crowned champion of the world for the first time.
Piastri left last month’s Italian Grand Prix annoyed that he had been asked to concede second place and three points to Norris following a slow pit-stop for the Briton.
Piastri reluctantly moved aside in Monza and was just able to mask his annoyance when quizzed on the controversial decision. Here, he was unable to do so.
The flashpoint arrived at the third corner. A fast-starting Norris swatted Antonelli aside to take fourth prior to the opening left turn, before drawing half-a-car’s length alongside Piastri at the ensuing right corner and then going deep into the next left.
It was certainly aggressive from Norris and he tagged the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull – contact which sent him into his team-mate’s McLaren.
Both Papaya men lived to fight another day, with Norris sustaining only minor damage to his front wing. Piastri was straight on the radio.
“That wasn’t very team like, but sure,” he said. “So we are cool with Lando just barging me out of the way?”
Piastri was informed by race engineer Tom Stallard that McLaren were looking into it. The stewards were also busy noting the collision but elected against any action.
Stallard was back on the intercom: “As a team we can see that Lando has to avoid Verstappen, so we won’t take any action during the race. We can review further afterwards.”
Piastri was not impressed, adding: “Mate, that is not fair. I’m sorry, that is not fair.”
Stallard replied: “Oscar we will have the opportunity to review together afterwards. Focus on this race, mate. We can still get a good result here.”
Piastri bit back: “Yeah, but if he (Norris) has to avoid another car by crashing into his team-mate, then that is a pretty **** job of avoiding.”
On to the sole pit stops and Piastri’s night was dealt another blow. A slow rear-left tyre left him stationary for 5.2 seconds and now 10 seconds behind Norris and out of the running.
With Russell in total control – and in a class of one as he cruised to his second win of an impressive year – attention turned to Norris and whether he could move ahead of Verstappen at a track where overtaking is virtually impossible.
Norris tried his luck with 10 laps to go but Verstappen, who earlier called his Red Bull “****” to drive, slammed the door closed. Norris spent the remaining laps occupying Verstappen’s Red Bull mirrors but made no lasting impression.
Russell crossed the line a commanding 5.4 seconds clear of Verstappen, who finished just six tenths ahead of Norris, with Piastri two seconds further back.
McLaren boss Zak Brown will now be tasked with managing the fallout between his two stars ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 19.
