Lando Norris criticized by Guenther Steiner for "not displaying a world champion's mentality"

"You really shouldn't be doing this. This was not a move worthy of a world champion," Steiner stated during a guest appearance on The Red Flags Podcast. 

Steiner commended McLaren team principal Andrea Stella for his handling of the situation.

"Andrea is very adept in situations like this," the former team leader continued. "I believe he made him feel like a fool. He clarified that this behavior is unacceptable. I don’t think Norris [apologised] for political reasons. [Norris] came to realize that what he did was rather foolish... There was no need for it, especially given the reaction that followed. 

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

"Because when you collide with your teammate... it can occur. But his reaction was surprising, as that is not typical of Lando. He recognized that he had been a bit overconfident."

Initially, Norris asserted, "there was a big gap, I went for it, I have the right to do that," but he later expressed remorse for the incident.

"I can't justify what I did; I should never have attempted it in the first place, even if the move seemed possible," Norris shared with F1.com after the race.

"I must prioritize the team I represent over my own interests. It was an error on my part, and I let the team down. I've also apologized to everyone, and I owe them all an apology, and we will improve next time."

After only securing one point in the sprint race, Norris and Piastri earned 22 points in the grand prix by finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.