What McLaren are now discussing ‘behind closed doors’ about Lando Norris ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix

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Lando Norris will head to the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix keen to put his race-ending crash with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in the Canadian Grand Prix in the past.

The papaya pals collided on Lap 66 of 70 at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve as Norris misjudged a chance to overtake Piastri for fourth place during the Canadian GP. A faster exit out of the last chicane tempted the Briton to go to the inside, but the Australian had already covered it.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown always expected Norris and Piastri would crash eventually in the 2025 F1 season, as they are both targeting their first F1 drivers’ championship. Their crash in Canada gifted Piastri a 22-point lead over Norris atop the standings after the first 10 rounds.

McLaren are discussing how Lando Norris will be ‘managed internally’ after crashing into Oscar Piastri

But while the Briton will look to put his first retirement of the term in the rear-view mirror at the Austrian GP, McLaren will not brush Norris crashing into Piastri in the Canadian GP under the carpet. Instead, discussions remain ongoing in Woking over how to deal with the fallout.

That is according to sport.de, which reports that McLaren are now discussing ‘behind closed doors’ how Norris will be ‘managed internally’ after crashing into Piastri in Canada. McLaren are also debating how the team can prevent any further collisions between their two drivers.

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

McLaren did not want to hold any major discussions immediately after the Canadian GP with emotions still raw. Norris immediately apologised to Piastri for their crash in Canada and also took full responsibility. Yet McLaren want to see what they can at least learn for future races.

Lando Norris replaced with Alex Dunne by McLaren for FP1 at the 2025 F1 Austrian Grand Prix

Norris will also have slightly longer than the 25-year-old might have wanted to move on from crashing into Piastri during the Canadian GP at this week’s Austrian GP. The six-time Grand Prix winner will have to sit out the opening practice session at the Red Bull Ring come Friday.

READ MORE: Who is McLaren junior driver Alex Dunne? Everything you need to know

McLaren have replaced Norris for FP1 at the 2025 Austrian GP with their academy driver and Formula 2 rookie Alex Dunne. The 19-year-old’s F1 weekend debut will make Dunne the first Irish driver to compete in any official F1 Grand Prix session since Ralph Firman back in 2003.

But unlike England-born Firman, who competed under an Irish licence for Jordan, Dunne was born in County Offaly in Ireland. Dunne joined the McLaren driver development programme in May 2024 and tops the 2025 F2 standings after Feature Race wins in Bahrain and Imola.