Williams angry over Sergio Perez, Lando Norris crash

The line between pleasure and pain is fluid in Formula 1. Just ask George Russell and Lando Norris.

The two drivers were separated by less than a second for most of the exciting final section of the Singapore Grand Prix. Russell had the faster car, but Norris was centimeter-perfect in his defensive work – and benefited from the DRS of leader Carlos Sainz.

In the final round they seemed destined to finish second and third in a tie. Then they both crashed into the wall.

Follow every practice, qualifying and race of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship live and ad-free in racing on Kayo Sports. Sign up now and start streaming immediately >

One got away unscathed, the other had to end his race early in the crash barrier. Almost identical errors with dramatically different results.

That is the danger on the most difficult road route in Formula 1.

Alex Albon also understood the frustration after the race in Singapore, as a clumsy jump from Sergio Pérez saw him almost lose all his points, which could mean Williams’ victory to seventh place in the title standings.

Meanwhile, at McLaren, the dream of bringing an IndyCar star into Formula 1 has not died in the post-Colton Herta and Álex Palou era, and a new interested party is close to being awarded the contract.

NORRIS REVEALS AN ACCIDENT THAT ALMOST ENDED HIS SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

Lando Norris came dangerously close to ending his race in the same barriers that caught George Russell on the final lap as he struggled to defend second place.

Norris spent the final stages of the race holding off the much faster Russell, who had made a late second stop for fresh tires to break the deadlock on the podium.

Norris’ defense was aided by Carlos Sainz, who held back to give the McLaren the advantage of its DRS, a tactic that proved crucial to his victory in the race.

After several rounds of unsuccessful saves, Russell had admitted he would not be able to break through Norris’s defenses and, in a moment of lack of concentration, the Mercedes driver crashed into the outside wall at Turn 10, sending him crashing into the barriers on the exit.

Norris revealed after the race that he had made an almost identical mistake just ahead of Russell, although without fatal consequences.

“In the last lap I had a little more breather,” he said. “I hit the wall where George hit the wall, but I hit her head on, so I panicked a little bit and thought maybe I had just screwed everything up.”

“But it damaged the steering because it was just off-center.

“Luckily it was nothing more.”

Russell was asked after the race if Norris’ accident had distracted him from his line, but the Mercedes driver denied it had any influence on his own accident.

“I saw Lando hit the wall and in that split second I thought, ‘Oh, he just hit the wall,'” he said. “And two tenths of a second later I hit the wall.

“It definitely wasn’t Lando brushing that surprised me.”

WILLIAMS Frustrated by the loss of ALBON POINTS TO PÉREZ PRANG

Williams boss James Vowles has lamented Sergio Pérez’s dive bomb that cost Alex Albon points towards the end of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Pérez recovered from 13th on the grid and a pit stop that dropped him to the back of the field towards the end of the race when he met tenth-placed Albon, who finished last in the points.

The Mexican was much faster on his fresh medium tires, but decided to attempt an overtake on the inside of Turn 13.

The two came into contact and while Pérez continued unhindered, Albon was led towards the wall and dropped to 14th.

The Thai rider recovered to 11th place but didn’t have enough time to salvage a point from his evening.

Williams believes that without the crash, Albon would have overtaken Lawson to ninth and then moved up to eighth after George Russell crashed, picking up four points.

Instead, Haas scored its first point since May with Kevin Magnussen. Williams is now nine points ahead of Haas and occupies seventh place in the constructors’ championship.

“It’s frustrating when you play in a championship where it’s fought to the point and you’re at the top of that championship against your direct competitors,” Vowles told Autosport. “It hurts when it’s taken away from you.

“And for no good reason either. It was a lunge. There are reasonable ways to overtake, but this wasn’t the right way.

“It’s incredibly frustrating. They have very good gaps and that could decide the championship positions.”

Pérez received a five-second penalty and one penalty point for the crash, but was able to hold on to eighth place.

INDYCAR STAR FOR F1 RESERVES

IndyCar star Pato O’Ward could become McLaren’s new reserve driver thanks to a COVID-era superlicense quirk, opening a possible path to a Formula 1 drive.

O’Ward finished fourth in this year’s IndyCar Series, earning him 10 Super License points. Combined with previous finishes of seventh in 2022 (four points) and third in 2021 (20 points), his results would see him fall six points short of the 40 points required to race in Formula 1.

Super license points are typically earned over a period of three years. However, McLaren believes O’Ward is entitled to count the best three of his last four seasons under a rule designed to deal with pandemic-related disruptions.

Adding O’Ward’s fourth-place finish in 2020 in return for his seventh-place finish in 2022 would see him reach the magic 40 points needed to enter Formula 1.

“We are actually checking with the FIA,” said McLaren boss Andrea Stella. “We believe he is now eligible for the super license.

“He is qualified to drive a Formula 1 car and be one of the reserve drivers.”

O’Ward would replace 2023 IndyCar champion Álex Palou as McLaren’s in-house reserve driver after the Spaniard suddenly cut ties with Woking in August.

Palou was sued by his team Chip Ganassi Racing when he signed for McLaren’s IndyCar team last year in order to gain access to the F1 program.

However, last month he changed his mind and instead decided to pursue a long-term future in IndyCar. He is now being sued by McLaren for breach of contract.

His loss was a gain for O’Ward, with Stella confirming that the Mexican will feature in both FP1 in Abu Dhabi and the post-season test.

After the end of the IndyCar season he would be eligible to start even if Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri were unable to drive, although McLaren also has access to Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher.