Watch – Drama unfolded during the final stages of the 2025 F1 Canadian Grand Prix resulting in a costly McLaren collision between teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, forcing the latter to retire.
The incident happened with just four laps remaining at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, as the two McLarens fiercely contested fourth place in a tightly fought race.
The clash unfolded after a tense battle in the closing stages when Norris, who had started the race from seventh on the grid and was on a different tire strategy, caught up to Piastri.
The Australian driver had started the race from third, but slipped back early on after being overtaken by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli.
Norris, benefiting from a longer stint on hard tires, was the quicker McLaren in the final laps and made a bold overtaking attempt on Piastri at the hairpin on lap 63. The pair exchanged positions once more on the following back straight, setting the stage for a decisive move.
On lap 67, Norris tried to overtake Piastri down the inside of the main straight aiming to capitalize on his momentum. However, Norris misjudged the available space and made contact with the rear tire of Piastri’s car.
The McLaren collision caused Norris to lose control and crash into the pit wall, forcing him to retire immediately due to race-ending damage. Piastri’s car sustained damage as well but was able to pit under the Safety Car and maintain fourth place up to the finish.
Norris takes full responsibility
Norris took full responsibility for the incident, apologizing over the team radio: “I’m sorry. All my bad. All my fault. Stupid from me.”
The incident drew immediate scrutiny from the FIA, with both Norris and Piastri summoned to the stewards for a review of the collision. The investigation aimed to determine whether any penalties or further actions were warranted.
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Given Norris’s acceptance of fault and the nature of the clash as a racing incident stemming from a miscalculated overtaking attempt, the situation was treated as a learning moment rather than a disciplinary case.
During his post-race interview Norris apologised to Piastri, describing the collision as a “silly” mistake.
“No one to blame but myself, so I apologise to the whole team and to Oscar as well for attempting something probably a bit too silly,” Lando Norris told Sky Sports F1. “Glad I didn’t ruin his race. In the end apologies to the team.”
Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, remained composed in the aftermath and acknowledged Norris taking full responsibility but admitted that “obviously it’s not ideal for anyone” at McLaren.
Piastri was able to capitalize on the situation by securing fourth place, which extended his lead over Norris in the Drivers’ Championship to 22 points.
