Lando Norris has grown ‘suspicious’ of critical McLaren decision that will impact Oscar Piastri

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The 2025 title fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is intensifying after yet more controversy from the McLaren pit wall.

The Woking outfit were beaten for the third consecutive race at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Norris finishing third ahead of Piastri. While McLaren secured the constructors’ championship, their celebrations were overshadowed by a first-lap collision between their drivers.

Norris produced a great start from P5 on the grid as he passed Kimi Antonelli and Piastri, but he hit the back of Max Verstappen heading into turn three. Subsequently, he slid into the path of his teammate, banging wheels as he got through to third.

Norris pointed to the ‘slippery’ track conditions as he addressed the incident immediately after the race – it had rained briefly before the start. But Piastri was far from pleased, accusing the Brit of poor teamwork and demanding McLaren swap the places back.

However, the team did not intervene, nor did the stewards. A slow pit stop for Piastri cemented his position in fourth as he could not find the pace to catch his teammate.

Martin Brundle felt Norris was ‘aggressive’ with his move on Piastri, but also saw no wrongdoing from the 25-year-old. But the Aussie’s frustration has created more problems for McLaren as their drivers grow paranoid over team orders.

Lando Norris has grown ‘suspicious’ about McLaren favouring Oscar Piastri with pit stops

McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ came to a head at Monza, as Norris was controversially favoured over Piastri after a slow pit stop. The latter was instructed to give up position to his teammate after he undercut him.

McLaren had asked Norris if he wanted to let Piastri pit first to protect him from an undercut from Charles Leclerc. After he received a slower stop, according to a report from Auto Motor und Sport, the Brit has grown ‘suspicious of such trades’ happening again.

He got another slow stop in Baku, and in Singapore, he was again asked if he wanted to let Piastri pit before him. This time, Norris denied, and it was the Aussie who had a five-second stop after the rear right tyre failed to come off.

McLaren have a serious problem with team orders as, after Monza, their drivers will continue to request intervention if something does not go their way. The team have said Norris and Piastri are free to fight, but the way they have handled strategy has caused drama between the pair.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Oscar Piastri has a ‘vague feeling’ that he has been on the ‘weaker side’ of strategy at McLaren

The AMuS report goes on to note that Piastri has a ‘vague feeling in the back of his mind’ about McLaren’s strategy calls. He believes that he has been on the ‘weaker side’ more often than Norris.

The timing of his pit stop was off in Imola, Austria and Hungary, and another slow stop in Singapore set him further back. Piastri’s frustration was clear to see as Norris cut his lead down to 22 points with six races to go.

David Coulthard thinks Piastri made a ‘compelling argument’ over his radio, having called McLaren’s decision not to swap the drivers ‘unfair’. It highlights the problem the team have created with team orders, as it can be argued that the Aussie was barged wide by Norris.

Piastri may be ‘on his own’ in the title fight as he was not seen on the podium celebrating with McLaren after winning the constructors’ championship. The team look to be more divided than ever, which gives them more of a headache as they try to handle their driver in the fairest way possible.