McLaren were at the centre of controversy between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris after the pair collided in Singapore.

While running P4 and P5 on the final lap of the Sprint race, Norris hit Piastri while attempting to pass. The Brit ended up finishing P8, scoring just one point for the team, while his teammate hit the wall.

The incident proved costly for the Woking outfit, with Max Verstappen’s dominance in Singapore putting Red Bull just seven points behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship.

Alex Jacques claims McLaren can’t force team orders on Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris

Zak Brown was furious after the race. Norris apologised for his actions after a tense exchange with a reporter in the media pen, but the damage was already done.

Journalist Tom Clarkson got the impression that McLaren discussed team orders with their drivers before the race, as he said on F1 Nation: “For Andrea Stella, the team principal of McLaren to be so angry, I think the implication is that it was discussed.

“Whether it was discussed just before the Sprint or coming into the weekend, but it felt like it was a recent topic of conversation and that Lando had gone against some kind of agreement.

“That’s the feeling I got off after that race, which is why I’m questioning it. If there had been a discussion, then why try it, Lando?”

Jolyon Palmer then added: “Well that constitutes a team order, but I don’t believe there were team orders. We certainly didn’t hear them, but obviously Andrea is going to be disappointed because his two drivers have crashed together.”

“Papaya rules, right?” said Clarkson, referencing McLaren’s name for team orders. Palmer replied: “Well, yeah. So, two years of papaya rules, but then just get on the radio and say, ‘Look, hold position.'”

Commentator Alex Jacques then came in and suggested that McLaren cannot force team orders on their drivers, as it is written within their contracts.

He said: “I don’t think they can, contractually, for either driver. I don’t think they can do that as a team option, without causing more trouble behind the scenes.”

This likely stems from the fallout of 2025, when McLaren imposed team orders on their drivers to secure the title. Verstappen felt Piastri ‘sold his soul’ to team orders – he was leading the championship for 15 race weekends, but ended up finishing third behind the Dutchman and champion Norris.

Manager Mark Webber was planning ‘tough talks’ with McLaren over the winter. It is possible that he could have added a clause on team orders in Piastri’s contract for 2026, after he believed that the team unfairly treated him in 2025.