Piastri calls Norris move 'not fair' as Russell claims victory

On-track Incident Overshadows Team Celebration

The incident that is bound to create issues at McLaren came as Norris dived down the inner line of Piastri after getting away well from fifth on the grid.

Norris was surprised by Verstappen slowing more than he anticipated in the middle of Turn Three.

Norris made contact with the Red Bull, compromising the McLaren's front wing endplate, and that caused him to deflect side-on into Piastri, whose pace was disrupted, allowing Norris to move ahead into P3.

Driver Communications Show Increasing Friction

Piastri said over the radio: "That wasn't very team-like, but sure."

Shortly afterwards, he added: "Is it acceptable that Lando just barging me out of the way?"

His engineer responded that the team were "looking at it", before coming back to tell Piastri that they would take "no action" in the race because "Norris needed to evade Verstappen" and that they would "review it afterwards".

Championship Implications

• Piastri's points advantage over Norris was reduced to 22 points with half a dozen events remaining
• Verstappen has also gained ground and is sixty-three points behind of the lead
• McLaren won their second consecutive team championship

Event Overview

George Russell controlled the race at the front on his way to a dominant win, very much in the style of his triumph in Canada back in June.

Verstappen chose to start the race on softer compound rather than the mediums on most other cars in the top 10, but the choice did not pay off and Russell comfortably maintained the lead at the start before building a significant advantage.

"The track conditions were challenging, but it's racing. I put it on the inside, had a small correction but nothing significant. It was hard but fair competition." - Lando Norris

Best of the Rest

Mercedes' newcomer Kimi Antonelli secured P5, overtaking Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on lap 54 as the Ferrari faded, and then defending against Lewis Hamilton in the final stages.

Fernando Alonso drove an excellent race to take eighth as the top performer outside the leading teams.

The Spaniard and Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar engaged in close combat in the opening stages, Alonso passing Hadjar into the first corner to take P8, before the driver from France got him back later in the lap, only for Alonso to pass again on lap three.