Verstappen Builds Momentum, McLaren Faces Internal Strife After Singapore GP
Max Verstappen secured pole position in Singapore as McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided, leading to team principal Andrea Stella calling the incident "unacceptable."
Max Verstappen is building significant momentum in the Formula 1 season, having secured pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix following a sprint-race victory. Despite this strong performance, Verstappen trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 129 points with only 175 remaining, making a title comeback statistically improbable.
Verstappen's recent upturn in form is attributed to Red Bull's improvements to the car, allowing him to predict its behavior and push to the limit. "It's been a really positive last few races and we want to keep that momentum going," Verstappen stated. He acknowledged the need to convert his pole position into a win on Sunday, noting that overtaking can be difficult at the Singapore circuit.
The Singapore Grand Prix weekend proved challenging for McLaren. During the sprint race, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided on the final lap while vying for fourth and fifth place. The incident sent Piastri into the barriers and dropped Norris to eighth, costing the team significant points.
Team principal Andrea Stella described the collision as "unacceptable" and a "fundamental principle" violation for the team. "It is serious. It is serious because the damage for the team is material. We are in a close fight in the championship," Stella said, emphasizing the impact on McLaren's constructors' championship battle with Ferrari and Red Bull. He added that while the drivers were reminded that team interests must come first, lessons from past incidents appear not to have been fully learned.
Both drivers acknowledged fault. Norris stated, "There are two sides... I did apologize because it was still me attacking, as I had the right to do... So really it's still my fault but I deserved to go for the space and I still believe I had the right for it." Piastri explained he did not expect Norris to attempt a pass in that section of the track and attempted to leave space. The stewards took no action, deeming both drivers contributed to the incident.