A heated debate has erupted in the world of Formula 1, with McLaren team boss Zak Brown blasting the start of the US Grand Prix sprint race as an "amateur hour" disaster. Both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who began the race in promising second and third positions, were forced to retire on the very first lap in Austin.
The incident unfolded at Turn 1, where Piastri attempted an ambitious overtake on Norris, only to be hit by Nico Hulkenberg, who was caught between the McLaren and Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin. This collision sent Piastri careening into Norris, causing terminal damage to both cars and effectively ending their race.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull emerged victorious from pole position, followed by George Russell of Mercedes and Carlos Sainz of Williams.
Brown, in an interview with Sky Sports F1, expressed his frustration: "That was an absolute shambles. Neither of our drivers was at fault. Some drivers up front showed a complete lack of professionalism and took out our guys."
When pressed on whether Hulkenberg was solely to blame, Brown replied, "I need to see the replay, but it's clear Nico drove into Oscar, and he had no right to be where he was."
Lando Norris, reflecting on the crash, said, "I was just hit. What else was I supposed to do? I need to review it, but I was taken out, so there wasn't much I could have done differently."
Piastri, when asked the same question, responded, "I haven't seen the incident from the TV cameras, but I had a good start and we both went deep into Turn 1. I tried to cut back, and that's when I got hit. It's not an ideal start to the day, and I need to review it."
Despite the damage, Brown assured that the McLaren cars should be ready for grand prix qualifying later on Saturday, as the damage is relatively easy to repair.
The incident has significant championship implications. Piastri retains his lead, 22 points ahead of Norris in second place, while Verstappen, in third, is now 55 points off the top, despite winning three of the last four weekends.
The question remains: Was this a case of unfortunate circumstances or a clear display of poor driving skills? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
