Formula 1 News: Piastri 'inner circle' met with McLaren

(GMM) Relations inside the McLaren camp appear to be at breaking point following the explosive clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore.

According to Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald, members of Piastri’s inner circle – led by manager Mark Webber (pictured with Piastri) – have now met with senior McLaren figures to “clear the air” – but those talks reportedly failed to resolve growing tension between the two title contenders.

“Piastri’s inner circle met with McLaren to clear the air,” the paper claimed. “It didn’t work.”

German analyst and former F1 driver Christian Danner told Motorsport-Magazin that Norris’s Singapore aggression marked a shift. “He had a conversation, or a pill, or I don’t know what – then suddenly there was a wild, fierce Lando at the start, like there was no tomorrow,” Danner said.

“If you also look at his verbal aggression, it seems like he’s had a personality transformation.”

Ziggo Sport commentator Olav Mol believes the situation has been mishandled. “McLaren is making far too many excuses,” said the Dutchman.

“Piastri should have kept his mouth shut after the stewards said they wouldn’t do anything about it,” he added, referring to the Australian’s complaint about the lap 1 contact.

“Now that the constructors’ title is secured, Norris and Piastri are both thinking ‘Ok, now it’s all about me.’ McLaren’s problem will be multiplied.”

Mathias Lauda, the son of F1 legend Niki, urged Max Verstappen to stay focused on himself amid McLaren’s developing turmoil. “Max should focus primarily on his own performance and hope that McLaren makes a few more mistakes,” he said on Servus TV.