Norris Reveals McLaren Apology After Dutch GP Retirement

Lando Norris has revealed that McLaren bosses Zak Brown and Andrea Stella apologized to him after an oil leak forced him to retire from the Dutch Grand Prix. This incident marked McLaren's first mechanical retirement since the 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Why it matters:

Norris's retirement was a significant blow to his championship aspirations, leaving him 34 points behind teammate and leader Oscar Piastri. He had been on course to finish second at Zandvoort.

The details:

• Norris found it "surprisingly easy" to move on from the incident, emphasizing it wasn't anyone's specific fault.
• "It's not Andrea's fault, it's not Zak's fault. I think it was 60-something races without a technical failure, without any issues. I think that's a record for ourselves," Norris stated ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
• He explained that Brown and Stella apologized because "they feel like they have let me down," similar to how he apologizes when he feels he has let them down.
• The British driver views the incident as simply "unlucky" and is focused on the upcoming races, aiming to "do more than I've ever done."

Championship fight:

• With nine rounds remaining, Norris will likely need to win a series of races or rely on a mistake or misfortune for his teammate Piastri to close the gap.
• While Piastri is on a run of 33 consecutive points-scoring Grands Prix, Norris made it clear he wishes no misfortune on his teammate.
• "I really don't pay attention to the luck and all these things, there's no point," he added. "I don't want to waste my time on hoping for it or praying for it."

Piastri's perspective:

• Oscar Piastri, the more consistent driver this season at McLaren, would have still led the championship by 16 points had Norris finished second in Zandvoort.
• Piastri, who has experience winning F3 and F2 titles, stated his approach will change "very little." He emphasized that it's "still far too early to be kind of calculating and settling for positions that aren't first."
• Despite their intense on-track battles, Piastri insists he will maintain the same aggression levels. "I think we'll race each other the same way. I think the amount of risk-taking will be the same," he concluded.