F1 Montreal Crash: McLaren Teammates Norris and Piastri Collide, Ending Podium Hopes

McLaren's pursuit of a double podium at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix ended in dramatic fashion when Lando Norris attempted an overtake on teammate Oscar Piastri in the closing laps but misjudged the move, resulting in a collision.

The incident forced Norris to retire from the race, while Piastri managed to continue and finish fourth. Although the costly mistake raised questions within the team about racing discipline between teammates and impacted their title aspirations, both drivers and McLaren responded professionally, with Norris accepting full responsibility for the error.

Late-Race Collision Costs McLaren Big Points

On Lap 66 of 70, Norris made a bold attempt to overtake Piastri down the main straight at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. As he edged alongside, Norris clipped Piastri's rear-left tyre, sending his own car careering into the pit wall at over 270 km/h. The violent crash instantly ended Norris's race and caused a safety car.

According to BBC Sport, Piastri managed to continue despite damage to his front wing and crossed the line in fourth, but the incident most certainly cost him a well-earned podium finish. The collision deprived McLaren of a possible 22 points haul with both drivers in the top five.

'It's all my fault... stupid from me', Norris said over the radio immediately after the crash, visibly shaken.

Stella Labels Incident 'Not Acceptable'

Team Principal Andrea Stella was visibly frustrated. Speaking to Formula1.com, he made it clear that such a collision between teammates should never occur.

'It's not acceptable for teammates to come together like that', Stella stated bluntly.

He added that while the move lacked intent to harm, the outcome was a serious misjudgement that had severe consequences for the team. McLaren will now review its internal racing protocols and communication to prevent repeats.

'We all make mistakes, but when you race for the team, you have to show discipline. This was a costly error', he said.

FIA Rules Against Norris: Five-Second Penalty Issued

The FIA stewards investigated the crash and quickly concluded that Norris was wholly responsible for the collision. They handed him a five-second time penalty, which was moot as Norris retired immediately.

Per Sky Sports, McLaren accepted the penalty without protest. Norris apologised promptly, both publicly on social media and privately within the team, helping to ease any potential internal friction.

A Costly Blow to McLaren's Championship Campaign

The official championship standings after the race revealed the harsh impact:

• Oscar Piastri – 198 points
• Lando Norris – 176 points
• Max Verstappen – 155 points

Drivers Reaffirm Unity Despite Tension

Despite the costly clash, both drivers emphasised mutual respect and professionalism after the race. Norris admitted full responsibility and apologised in the garage to Piastri.

'Lando came to apologise straight away. That's all you can really ask,' Piastri told The Mirror.

Norris echoed the sentiment publicly:

'I messed up. I've said sorry to Oscar and the team. It was silly and I'll learn from it.'

The mature handling of the incident has been praised by fans and pundits alike. It highlights the strong working relationship and growing maturity between the two young stars, both eager to fight for McLaren's future success.

Resetting Before Austria

Following the costly collision in Canada, Stella confirmed that McLaren will focus on reinforcing intra-team discipline and clearer communication moving forward.

While Stella did not explicitly mention imposing strict team orders, it is clear that McLaren will revisit their approach to how Norris and Piastri race each other, particularly ahead of the next race in Austria.