McLaren team boss Zak Brown has sharply criticized what happened at the start of the sprint race at the US Grand Prix after both of the team’s drivers – Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – were eliminated on the first lap.
The two World Championship contenders started from second (Norris) and third (Piastri), but didn’t even get beyond the first sector.
A chain reaction ensued at the infamous first corner of the Circuit of the Americas, with Piastri trying to overtake Norris on the inside exiting turn one when he was hit by Nico Hülkenberg.
The German Sauber driver found himself between the Australian’s McLaren and Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, causing Hülkenberg’s front wheel to hit Piastri’s left rear tire. The contact threw Piastri into his teammate Norris, and both McLarens suffered irreparable damage.
Brown criticizes Hülkenberg: It has no place there!
McLaren CEO Zak Brown vented his anger after the race: “That was just terrible,” said the American on Sky. “None of our drivers are at fault here. That was amateur level driving. Some of the drivers up there simply got rid of our two guys.”
When asked whether Hülkenberg alone was responsible for the incident, Brown explains: “I would like to watch the replay again, but one thing is clear: Nico drove into Oscar – and he simply had no business there.” Brown added that the damage caused was “relatively easy to repair”, meaning both McLaren cars should be ready for qualifying later on Saturday.
Driver frustrated: “I just got hit
“Despite the double retirement, Oscar Piastri remains at the top of the drivers’ standings, 22 points ahead of Norris. Behind him, Max Verstappen reduced his gap to 55 points – the Red Bull driver has scored two victories in the last three weekends and is still in the title fight with the sprint victory in Austin.
After the unfortunate incident, Lando Norris was visibly disappointed: “I have no idea, I was just hit – what was I supposed to do? I have to look at the whole thing again. I was just hit, taken out – there was nothing I could do.”
Oscar Piastri also described the moment from his perspective: “I haven’t seen the scene from the TV pictures yet, but my start was good and we both went pretty deep into turn one. I wanted to cut back on the inside, then there was the hit. Not a great start to the day – I’ll have to take another look at it.”