The consequences Lando Norris will face following his clash with team-mate and Formula 1 title rival Oscar Piastri at the previous race are sporting in nature although McLaren will not disclose specifics.
Norris clipped the back of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and banged wheels with Piastri at the end of the opening sequence of corners on the first lap in Singapore.
It helped Norris pass and finish ahead of Piastri in the race and trim the gap between them to 22 points.
Piastri was unhappy with the move and wanted McLaren to make Norris hand the place back but unlike other occasions, McLaren refused to intervene, and stands by that decision.
However, as there was contact between the two, it did look into the matter more deeply and as it ruled Norris was responsible – which he accepts – it felt there had to be some repercussions.
Norris admitted on Thursday in the United States ahead of this weekend’s Austin race that he faces “consequences” while Piastri suggested he was satisfied with the outcome, although neither driver nor the team will say specifically what the punishment is.
Nothing will change within the framework of how McLaren manages its two drivers, so Norris is not on a tighter leash in terms of what he is allowed to do, and if another incident occurs this should have no bearing on how McLaren handles it.
However, some “sporting” action is understood to have been taken on a small level.
It is not as grand as Norris being required to move aside for Piastri to redress the points swing, for example, and McLaren says it will “probably not be noticed” from outside.
More on the Singapore incident
Has McLaren really treated Piastri unfairly in F1's title fight?
What really explains Piastri's podium celebration absence
What we learned from Piastri's reaction to Norris clash
Our verdict on Piastri and Norris's Singapore GP clash
This suggests it could be something like the order the two cars run on track in qualifying, and/or who gets a tow, which fits with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown saying there was a desire to be clear but not disclose something that has a competitive relevance.
“We're racing against nine other teams,” Brown said. “I don't think you want to necessarily show your hand on how you go motor racing.
“We try to be as transparent as possible but there's a reason why engineering debriefs are only with teams. Otherwise you start inviting other teams in.
“That's the best we can do, we try to be as transparent as possible and saying some action has been taken that has been very transparent.
“But at the end of the day, we're at a sporting event and we can't necessarily tell everyone everything – it’s no different than our set-up sheets aren't very public.”
