The start of the Sprint at Circuit of the Americas turned into a nightmare for McLaren. Just moments after the lights went out, both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris became involved in a multi-car collision that also took out Fernando Alonso and Nico Hülkenberg.

Although race officials ruled the crash a racing incident, Sky Sports pundit and former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle offered a different perspective in his column.

“The Piastri crash in Turn 1 was unfortunate, but I believe he was predominantly to blame,” Brundle wrote. “The first corner here rises steeply by about 40 metres, it’s very wide at the entry but tightens sharply at the apex. It’s a corner that always invites trouble, especially at the start when the field is bunched together.”

Brundle argued that Piastri’s aggressive move to the inside left Hülkenberg with nowhere to go, setting off the multi-car crash.

Shortly after the race, Piastri said he preferred to review the footage before making any judgments. His teammate Norris echoed the same view, saying it was better to wait before pointing fingers.

The crash cost McLaren valuable points in the title fight. Max Verstappen went on to win the Sprint, closing the gap to Piastri and Norris by eight points. After also triumphing in Sunday’s Grand Prix, the Dutchman has reduced Piastri’s lead in the championship to just 40 points, while Norris remains second overall, 14 points behind his Australian teammate.