Rand Norris vowed to “move ahead” after a clash with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
Norris was hit by the race ending when he ran behind Piastri on the main straight, trying to overtake his McLaren teammate to fourth in the end of Sunday’s 70-lap race in Montreal.
Piastri was able to hold the P4 after pitting under the safety car after that, extending the championship advantage over Norris to 22 points after the opening 10 round.
Norris raised his hand to come along quickly, accepting that McLaren would soon want to be behind them in their quest to win this year’s Formula One World Championship.
Speaking to Sky Sports News ahead of the Formula One Movie Premiere in New York on Monday night, Norris said, “I regretted and apologized at the time.
“Sadly, it’s a race too. I take it on the chin. I have to move on. I have to look at the next race, see how to do a better job, and sometimes I have to see if I don’t make those stupid mistakes.
“There are a lot of positive things, I want to look at them and build what I have.
Norris faces a major mental test
Jenson Button, who had a near-identical in-team conflict with his then-McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix, said Norris’ response to the incident was important.
“Because this is the world championship fight, and it’s good that they’re working so hard,” Button said.
“This is a moment for them where they have to grab the bull at the horns because they don’t know when the next chance will come or if it will come due to regulations changes.
“They’re both fighting hard for this world championship, but that happens. Lewis and I crashed the same straight 14 years ago! That happens.
“This is whether you see Rand in a good spiritual place and whether he comes out strong from the other side.
“I think he has confidence in his abilities and has it all in that he has it there, so I’m excited to see him move on.”