Oscar Piastri says he and Lando Norris remain 'free to race' for the F1 title

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Oscar Piastri says he and Lando Norris remain 'free to race' for the F1 title

2025-06-27 00:04 Last Updated At：00:11

SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) — Oscar Piastri says he and McLaren teammate Lando Norris are “still free to race” for the Formula 1 title after their collision at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Norris apologized after clipping Piastri's car and hitting the wall in Canada 11 days ago. The incident ended Norris' race but Piastri finished fourth to extend his standings lead to 22 points over Norris.

Speaking on Thursday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Piastri dismissed suggestions that the incident might prompt a rethink of McLaren's in-house “papaya rules” for battles between its drivers, or even that a time might be near when McLaren might favor Piastri over Norris.

The rules remain the “same as always,” Piastri said.

“What happened in Canada wasn’t ideal," the Australian continued, "but we’re still free to race, still fighting for a championship each. We’ll keep going racing and make sure that we don’t come into contact again.”

Piastri added: “The first rule, regardless of whether it’s written down or not, is that the two cars from the same team don’t crash.”

No McLaren driver has won F1 since a young Lewis Hamilton in 2008. Defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull is Piastri's and Norris' closest non-McLaren challenger, 43 points off the lead.

Asked if he foresees a time when he could argue to McLaren's leadership that he should be favored over Norris, Piastri said he didn't want to discuss it.

While “ultimately it can only be one of us,” Piastri said, “I think the situation has to change dramatically to start having those conversations and they’re a very long way away at the moment. At the moment, all I can ask for is a fair chance to try and win the championship and that’s what I want as well. So no, I’m not willing to enter those talks at all.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.