Otmar Szafnauer believes McLaren should tie Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s contract bonuses to the team’s position in the constructors’ standings after the pair collided in the Singapore Sprint.

The former Aston Martin and Alpine team principal made the suggestion on the High Performance Racing podcast. He was speaking alongside former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley.

Norris attempted to pass Piastri at Turn 5 in the closing stages of the Sprint at Marina Bay. The move ended with both McLarens spinning, Piastri out of the race and Norris finishing eighth. The pair had been running fourth and fifth, but McLaren scored only one point.

Szafnauer calls Norris move 'bad judgement'

Asked what he would tell the two drivers if he were in McLaren's position, Szafnauer said the team's priorities were clear. Neither driver is fighting for the title, so the only battle that matters is third place in the constructors' championship.

He went on: "And the only reason you did it is to make yourself one point better off over your teammate, and that's not what it's about. You have got to point that out to them.

Smedley noted that the financial difference between finishing third and fourth in the constructors’ standings is significant. Szafnauer suggested that should be reflected in both drivers’ contracts.

“They've got to link that Championship position to a nice bonus in both drivers' contracts so they think twice about things like this,” he said. “If the team loses, they lose too.”

Szafnauer also acknowledged that Norris’s instinct to attack was understandable. “But they are racers, and if they see a gap, and you're sitting behind your teammate who you think you're faster than, and you think, 'I've got one lap left to get them,' and you don't have that in your contract, I can see why you're doing it. You're a racer.”

Major Norris decision to be announced soon

Lando Norris could take his LN4 Fusion team into Formula 2, with the 2025 F1 world champion set to learn whether the project can join the grid. GPblog understands that F2 CEO Bruno Michel is enthusiastic about the possibility of Norris entering the Formula 1 feeder series as a team owner.

Norris announced LN4 Fusion in early September, with the aim of helping young drivers progress towards Formula 1 and competing for titles in the junior categories. The team is led by René Rosin, who previously spent many years in charge of Prema Racing, while former Prema executive Guillaume Capietto is also part of the project.

LN4 Fusion is due to enter Formula 3, the Italian Formula 4 Championship and the Formula Regional European Championship from 2027. The team secured its place in F3 by acquiring AIX Racing’s assets and entry rights. It is also exploring a potential entry into British Formula 4