McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has defended Oscar Piastri after the Australian took issue with the squad's management of the first lap clash with Lando Norris last weekend.
Piastri started the race from third on the grid but soon found himself under pressure from team-mate Norris on the opening lap.
After tagging the back of Verstappen's car at Turn 3, Norris was pitched into the side of Piastri with the former sustaining front wing damage.
The stewards opted to take no further action, as did McLaren, before Norris went on to finish the race ahead of his team-mate.
After being informed that McLaren would not order a swap between its drivers, Piastri insisted it was “not fair” and not in line with the team's approach this year.
Stella stated the open approach from Piastri to say what is on his mind is what it is seeking from its drivers.
"Obviously, Oscar made some statements while he was in the car, but that's the kind of character that we want to have from our drivers,” Stella told media including RacingNews365.
"They have to make their position very clear, that's what we ask them.
"At the same time, we have to put things in perspective – the perspective of a driver that is in a Formula 1 car with the intensity of it being the first lap, and the perspective that obviously just saw Lando moving onto him, but we know that Lando in reality had a contact with Verstappen and oversteered into Oscar.”
The incident was not the first time this year the duo have come to blows, with a late-race incident in Canada resulting in Norris' elimination from the race.
Stella outlined the incident in Singapore will only serve to unite the McLaren team further, rather than drive a wedge within the squad.
“The first-lap situation is one of those that can happen with this close racing,” he said.
”We will review the situation together with our drivers, we will have the good conversations like we had, for instance, after Canada.
“This review gave us the opportunity after Canada to come back, we said at the time, even more united and stronger as a team.
“We will see if there's any learning and anything that we need to fine-tune in terms of our approach, but this will just lead to some good conversations.”
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look back at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix! Lando Norris' move on Oscar Piastri is a major talking point, as is Max Verstappen's title chances now being very much alive.
Rather watch on YouTube? Then click here!
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