McLaren’s ‘puzzling’ Oscar Piastri decision likely cost Lando Norris chance to win the Singapore GP

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Lando Norris’ first lap overtake on Oscar Piastri in the Singapore Grand Prix took the focus off McLaren winning the 2025 F1 constructors’ title at Marina Bay last Sunday.

The contact between the papaya pals dominating a lot of headlines also meant one decision that McLaren made during the Singapore GP to benefit Piastri crept under the radar, despite it possibly costing Norris his chance to win. Norris had to settle for P3, as Piastri finished P4.

Norris overtook Piastri on the first lap of the Singapore GP, as the Briton rose from P5 on the grid into the podium positions by Turn 3. But Norris banged wheels with Piastri after he also tagged the rear of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull while trying to get ahead of his main title rival.

McLaren chose against intervening in the incident between their two drivers, despite Piastri feeling wronged by the contact with Norris in Singapore. The papaya pals ultimately finished the race 2.080 seconds apart, with Piastri unable to threaten Norris to take third place back.

McLaren pitting Lando Norris early to help Oscar Piastri may have cost him in the Singapore Grand Prix

Norris also hit the chequered flag 6.066s behind George Russell, as the Mercedes star won the Singapore GP, and 0.636s behind Red Bull racer Verstappen. The Briton spent his day looking at Verstappen’s gearbox, but was rarely in a position to attempt a genuine overtake.

READ MORE: Every error that cost Lando Norris points in his failed 2024 F1 title challenge

The Singapore GP might have played out differently for Norris and McLaren, though, had the Woking crew not pitted the 25-year-old on Lap 26 of 62 to help Piastri defend from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. McLaren called Norris in early for his stop as he would not let Piastri pit first.

Mark Hughes notes for Motor Sport Magazine that it was a “little puzzling” that McLaren did not keep Norris out for longer, as he was gaining on Russell by almost half a second each lap once in clear air. Verstappen came in for his sole pit stop on L19, having started on soft tyres.

Russell was struggling with overheating tyres by the time that the pit stop cycle began, so he stopped on L25 as Mercedes did not want Norris or Piastri to get too close. But Norris would not pressure Russell, as McLaren reacted instantly to ensure Leclerc did not undercut Piastri.

Lando Norris could not risk Oscar Piastri undercutting him by pitting first in Singapore

Leclerc was not in Piastri’s undercut window with a 27.694s margin between them as Norris entered the pit lane. The margin also held at 27.598s by the time Piastri pitted one lap later, as Leclerc was stuck behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso to negate the undercut threat.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

But Leclerc was in McLaren’s mind, so they shaped their strategy to cover the Ferrari driver to ensure Piastri retained P4 in the Singapore GP. It meant Norris had to pit earlier than he may have liked, and also potentially denied the Briton the chance to win the Singapore GP.

Had Norris been prepared to let Piastri pit first, as he did in the Italian Grand Prix, then the Bristol-born driver might have been able to run longer and put Russell under pressure. But track position is vital at Marina Bay, so Norris did not want to risk Piastri undercutting him.

Piastri yielded P2 to Norris in the Italian GP at McLaren’s request after the Australian got in front due to the latter letting the former pit first and then also having a slower stop. But the contact between the papaya pals at the start in Singapore may have made a repeat unlikely.