Piastri to blame for Austin Sprint crash with Norris?

Piastri, trying a switchback on Norris, who went deep and wide, got tapped by Nico Hulkenberg and was sent into the sister McLaren, wiping both out. Game over.

And while McLaren bosses, Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, initially blamed Hulkenberg, the former later retracted his comments while remaining vague as to which of his drivers was to blame.

But former Formula 1 driver and respected pundit Martin Brundle believes Piastri was the one who erred at this instant.

In his post-United States Grand Prix column on Sky Sports F1, Brundle wrote: "The Piastri crash in turn one was unfortunate, but I believe he was predominantly to blame."

He then went on to explain how he had come up with his judgment; he added: "This corner rises steeply by 40 meters, is very wide at the entry point but narrow at the apex, and only a little wider on the exit, albeit with some scruffy run off space if required.

"This zone invites and promotes contact, never more so than at the start when the pack is close," Brundle pointed out. "It's 215 meters from pole position to the first braking point and, of course, increasingly further for those lower on the grid.

"They launch off the line with 1000 horsepower available as wonderful rear tyre heaters, but the front tyres and the brakes will only have the residual heat from the formation lap.

"Therefore, with some fuel on board, the cars are difficult to slow down as they all head for the same apex kerb.

"This first corner is also the best chance to gain positions for the rest of the race, and so all the ingredients are there for multiple contacts," the British driver acknowledged.

While Verstappen shot into the lead, the McLaren teammates were left fighting each other for second place into Turn 1; Brundle went on: "Verstappen had the perfect Sprint start.

"Norris alongside on the dirtier side of the track, less so, but he was still able to release the brakes a little and claim the corner before his faster-starting teammate Piastri.

"Intent on making the most of Norris's tighter entry, which would inevitably mean he'd run wide on the exit, Piastri slowed and then turned very hard to go underneath his championship rival.

"These F1 cars are difficult to see out of at the best of times, and they are wide and long with enormous and sticky tyres exposed on each corner," Brundle pointed out. "What Piastri did was textbook driving when in normal combat up at turn one.

"But not at the start, as there's virtually guaranteed to be one or more cars trying to out-brake each other into that space. And there's no capacity for those cars to slow further or change direction quickly.

"Piastri was very focused on his championship rival, and the pack simply bit him," Brundle concluded.