Crash and Blame: Villeneuve Slams Piastri for ‘Nasty’ Role in McLaren Meltdown
Former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has stirred debate following the dramatic late-race crash between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the Canadian Grand Prix. The pair collided while dueling for fourth place on the main straight of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Norris, attempting to overtake Piastri, clipped the rear of his teammate’s car, resulting in heavy contact with the wall and an early end to his race.
While many pointed to Norris’s aggressive move as the cause, Villeneuve offered a more critical take on Piastri’s role. In a social media post, the 1997 champion suggested that Piastri was not entirely innocent in the clash, hinting at what he described as a “nasty” element in the Australian’s defensive maneuvering.
Despite the collision, Piastri revealed he had accepted Norris’s apology after the race. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella called the incident a “misjudgement” and confirmed that the team would conduct an internal review to avoid such costly errors in the future.
Meanwhile, McLaren CEO Zak Brown addressed the incident online, acknowledging the unfortunate event while praising the efforts of both drivers. “And so it happened. Appreciate the candour, Lando. Solid race, Oscar. We learn. We go again together,” he wrote, striking a tone of unity and resilience.
The crash has added fresh tension to McLaren’s intra-team dynamics, raising questions about how the squad will manage its competitive driver pairing in the high-stakes battles ahead.
