Daijiworld Media Network - Mexico

Mexico, Oct 24: McLaren title contenders Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will enter this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix with a “clean slate” following their collision during last Saturday’s sprint race at the United States Grand Prix in Texas. The crash, which saw both drivers retire, left Piastri accepting partial responsibility.

“We review every weekend regardless of what’s happened,” Piastri said. “There is a degree of responsibility on my side for the sprint, and we are starting this weekend with a clean slate for both of us. So, just going out racing.”

Earlier, McLaren had held Norris responsible for a collision in Singapore and had planned team-imposed repercussions, but these have now been cancelled, allowing both drivers to focus fully on the title fight. Piastri leads Norris by 14 points with five races remaining, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, currently third, is 40 points behind after winning three of the last four races.

“The consequences on Lando's side have been removed,” Piastri confirmed at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, adding that he felt confident defending his narrowing lead despite pressure from his rivals. Drawing on his past F3 and F2 titles, Piastri said experience helps him stay focused: “I have to focus on being as fast as I can and having good weekends. That’s all I am focused on. If I stay on top of that, the rest doesn’t matter.”

Piastri also highlighted the challenges posed by the long run to the first corner at the start of the race, calling it crucial but emphasizing instinct and decision-making over a “magic formula.” He further stated that he was not concerned about Verstappen’s form, instead concentrating on his car, his team, and his own performance.

“I’ve won championships in the past and have those to look back on, so I know I can pull it off,” Piastri said, signaling his determination to maintain his lead in the tightly contested championship battle.