Zak Brown Slams ‘Amateur Hour’ After Both McLaren Cars Fail

McLaren’s title push takes a hit in Austin, as both cars retire on lap one of the Sprint after contact triggered by Nico Hulkenberg. Stewards review the clash and take no action.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri start second and third, setting up a controlled opening phase. The plan unravels immediately at Turn 1 amid tight midfield traffic.

Piastri yields to Norris on corner exit, then his left-rear is tagged by Hulkenberg. The contact pitches Piastri into Norris, eliminating both McLarens on the spot.

Zak Brown is unequivocal post‑race, assigning blame to Hulkenberg and absolving his drivers. He argues the Haas entered an untenable gap and caused the chain reaction.

The stewards examine the footage and opt for no further action. That aligns with the usual lap‑one threshold, where compressed fields and limited visibility weigh heavily.

McLaren reports mainly suspension damage on both cars. The team expects to complete repairs for qualifying and does not anticipate lingering performance effects.

The zero‑score is costly in a Sprint format where points are plentiful. It hands rivals momentum and removes an opportunity to bank straightforward gains.

Context matters in McLaren’s season picture. The team leads the 2025 constructors’ standings on 650 points, with Oscar Piastri on 336 and Lando Norris on 314.

This is the second opening‑lap tangle involving McLaren in as many events after the Singapore Grand Prix. The trigger in Austin, however, originates outside the team.

The immediate priority is execution under time pressure. Clean repairs and a stable platform for qualifying are essential to reset the weekend trajectory.

[p_fervogear_custom]Stewards review the clash and issue no penalty, treating it as a first‑lap racing incident.[/p_fervogear_custom]

Beyond Austin, the calendar moves to the Mexican Grand Prix, then Brazil, Las Vegas, and Qatar. Consistent scoring will decide whether McLaren converts its advantage.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.