F1 News: Lando Norris Snubs Lance Stroll After Miami Crash - 'Careless'

Alex Harrington | May 4, 2024

May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) talks with the media after / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Lando Norris was forced to retire early from the Miami Sprint after a first-turn disaster involving multiple drivers. Following the incident, Norris criticized some of his competitors for their "careless" approach, notably after a collision with Lance Stroll.

The Miami Grand Prix sprint race was marred by a chaotic start which saw McLaren's Lando Norris exiting early due to a collision. The incident unfolded immediately after the beginning of the race at the notorious Turn 1, where tight racing often leads to accidents.

Max Verstappen, who started from pole, maintained his lead against a spirited challenge from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while Red Bull's Sergio Perez lost momentum early on, dropping valuable positions. However, the major incident involved Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, and Mercedes veteran Lewis Hamilton. Stroll’s aggressive maneuvering resulted in contact with Alonso, escalating into a sequence of collisions that also entangled Lewis Hamilton and, critically, Norris.

The sharp tussle resulted in Norris being shoved off the track, severely damaging his car and forcing both him and Stroll to retire prematurely from the race. As a result of the wreckage and to ensure safety, the race officials promptly deployed the Safety Car.

In the aftermath, race stewards reviewed the chaotic start but ultimately decided not to impose any further penalties, attributing the crash to typical race-start conditions. Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle wasn't entirely sure about the result: "I think there were two out of control cars there - Stroll and Hamilton," Brundle remarked.

Following his untimely exit, Norris expressed distinct frustration over the incident. In an interview with Sky Sports F1's Craig Slater, he said:

"I guess today we paid the price of being back with some of the people who are a bit more careless," he said, snubbing Lance Stroll who hit him. "It's kind of the position we put ourselves in by doing a bad job yesterday, and I did a bad job myself yesterday. So the pace is good, the car's good, and we can still have a great weekend,"