F1 driver partnership getting 'turbulent' as team faces problem and chief fumes

08 September 2023 , 05:00

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F1 driver partnership getting 'turbulent' as team faces problem and chief fumes

A former Formula 1 driver can see the relationship between Lando Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri getting "turbulent" as time goes on.

McLaren are blessed to have two of the hottest young talents on the grid on the books. Norris has already proven his worth in F1, while rookie Piastri is having an excellent first season in the sport following his eye-catching switch from rivals Alpine last year.

As far as the intra-team battle has gone, Norris has had the best of it. But Piastri has shown that he will be no pushover for the Brit, who has admitted that he is being tested more than was the case with some of his previous team-mates.

And outward appearances suggest that they get along very well, appearing often in videos together and spending time with each other. But there was a flashpoint at the Italian Grand Prix, as Piastri collided with his team-mate.

The Aussie came out of the pits on cold tyres and tried to battle with Norris, who he met at the first corner, but went too deep into the chicane and clipped the rear wheel of the other McLaren. Fortunately, neither of them picked up any damage.

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But team principal Andrea Stella was not at all happy. He said it was "unacceptable" that there should be contact between his two drivers and suggested that they might have allowed their personal desires to beat one another to get in the way of what was best for the team.

Norris played down the incident afterwards, and said: "I guess he was just on cold tyres, and had a little bit of understeer. I tried to leave enough of a gap. It's very difficult to see in the mirror. I left a good gap... But I think we respect each other, we give each other space, and fortunately nothing happened, so it's all okay."

Writing for Sky Germany, ex-F1 driver Timo Glock has predicted future fireworks between the two ambitious young drivers. "I'm curious to see how it develops because Oscar Piastri is getting closer and also wants his chances. I can understand his displeasure there by being strategically placed behind Norris," he wrote.

"I've noticed that Lando Norris is annoyed or comes across as annoyed on the radio in several races. Whether he means it or not, you never know in the heat of the moment. But it's an issue because now he has a team-mate who puts a bit of pressure on him and drives at his level. You can wait for things to get a bit more turbulent at McLaren."

Daniel Moxon