Zak Brown Launches Scathing Attack On 'Amateur' F1 Rivals After McLaren Sprint Disaster

Demolition derby

Four-time champion Verstappen got the best start off the line and was unchallenged into Turn 1, but Piastri had drawn alongside his teammate on the rise to the apex.

Norris was on the inside and went deep into the braking zone, with Piastri attempting to chop back to the inside to get by. But with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber defending from Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin at the same time, three cars fought for one part of the track and sent the Australian onto two wheels.

From there, he was powerless to avoid cannoning into Norris, leaving both McLarens with extensive damage and out of the sprint, as was Alonso.

Giving his reaction to Sky Sports UK during the event, Brown launched into a scathing attack on Hulkenberg and Alonso. “That was terrible," he said.

“Neither of our drivers were to blame there. Some amateur hour driving out there by some drivers. I want to see the replay again, but clearly Nico drove into Oscar and he had no business being where he was, he went into his left rear tyre."

Adding his perspective to the incident, Piastri added: “I’ve not seen the incident from the TV cameras, but, obviously I had a pretty good start, and we both went pretty deep into Turn 1.

“I tried to cut back and got hit. Obviously not a great way to start the day, but I need to have another look.”

The crash comes as the team's handling of contact between its two drivers at the Singapore Grand Prix has been under the spotlight since confirmation of "repurcussions" for Norris had been made public.

McLaren's mechanics now face a race against time to get both cars back and make sure they are in a state to be sent out for qualifying later this afternoon.