In the glowing lights of the Marina Bay circuit, the tension at McLaren burst during the Singapore Grand Prix, a race that offered an unexpected bright spot for Max Verstappen in his hunt for the title. While George Russell won from Mercedes sovereign, and Verstappen was pretty second, the internal drama exploded at the Papaya-colored racing stable. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, teammates and title rivals, literally and figuratively bumped into the opening round, which led to accusations and a cold atmosphere that Verstappen indirectly benefits. The two McLaren drivers no longer seem to look each other in the eyes, a break that undermines the harmony within the team and clears the road for the Red Bull pilot to sneak closer to the championship.

The incident unfolded already in the first corners. Piastri started third, Norris fifth, but the British driver went aggressively inside at Turn 3. In an attempt to pass his teammate, Norris first hit Max Verstappen on the front wing – a tap that did not prevent him from continuing – and then rammed Piastri, who was forced to the outside and lost time. Piastri’s frustration came loud and clear over the team radio: “That’s not fair! If he has to avoid another car by crashing into his teammate, that’s bad avoidance.” Norris later defended himself by stating that “everyone on the grid would do the same”, but the stewards left it at a warning, without penalty. For Piastri it felt like a betrayal, especially because McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ – the unspoken code of fair play between teammates – seemed to have been violated.

The tension escalated as McLaren clinched their second consecutive Constructors’ Championship, with Norris on the podium in third position and Piastri just behind in fourth. The entire team celebrated wildly on the track, with champagne and cheering, but Piastri was noticeably absent. While Norris, team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown partied, the Australian was busy with media commitments – or so it was said. Social media exploded with speculation: “The team is celebrating without their championship leader, that’s crazy.” Piastri later returned to the garage with a forced smile, but the gap was palpable. Team principal Stella called it “just hard racing” and promised “good conversations” to restore unity, but the damage had been done. Norris cut Piastri’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship to just 22 points, while Verstappen closed the gap to 63 points – a boost for the Dutchman who is struggling against a less competitive Red Bull.

In the midst of this team drama, Piastri dropped a shocking revelation about the MCL39, the car that is dominating McLaren this season but also exposing vulnerabilities. In an attempt to channel the frustration, the Australian hinted at previous problems with the car, such as instability in low corners and brake cooling issues previously investigated by the FIA. “The MCL39 is fast, but unpredictable,” he is said to have whispered in a side conversation, referring to previous FIA inspections after races like Miami, where the car was thoroughly checked for rule violations. This admission came at a time when rivals such as Red Bull were lurking for weaknesses, and it added salt to the wound for McLaren, who saw their reliability as an asset.

Immediately after the race, things escalated further: a McLaren car – speculatively that of Norris or Piastri – was taken for technical examination by the FIA. The conclusion? “Disqualified” – a disqualification that did not immediately lead to a loss of points, but did inflame emotions. It was an alleged violation, perhaps related to the previous contacts or setup anomalies, and McLaren boss Stella was “so crazy about it” in an ironic sense, furious about the bureaucracy disrupting their party. For Verstappen, this is pure gold: internal divisions at McLaren mean less focus on the title fight, and more opportunities for him to strike in the last six races. The Dutchman, who fought fiercely to maintain his position in Singapore, secretly grins: this is the perfect news for his comeback dream.

The aftermath promises fireworks. Stella and Brown must put the brothers’ feud to rest, while Piastri and Norris regroup for Austin. For Verstappen, who sees the gap shrinking, this is ideal chaos: McLaren’s weaknesses expose themselves, and he only has to watch the rivals eat each other. In the fast world of Formula 1, one collision can change the course of a season – and this was one of the worst.