Oscar Piastri currently leads the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, yet fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris has gained significant momentum after winning the last two Grands Prix. With the season entering its critical last phase, Norris trails Piastri by just eight points following his recovery from an earlier setback in Canada.

The championship battle between these teammates has intensified over recent races, highlighting the contrast between Piastri’s consistency and Norris’s recent surge. Both drivers’ performances, strategies, and mental resilience will be pivotal as they aim for their first F1 title during the remaining 12 rounds.

Examining Norris’s Renewed Form and Its Impact

Recent improvements in Lando Norris’s performance trace back to a suspension adjustment introduced during the Canadian Grand Prix, which many believe transformed his McLaren MCL39 into a more competitive package. Although Norris attributes his improved results partly to enhanced physical and mental preparation, subtle technical tweaks appear to have contributed decisively to his surge.

Earlier in the season, Norris openly struggled with the car’s feedback near its grip limit, which visibly affected his confidence and race results. His body language often revealed frustration and defeat, highlighting the challenge of extracting maximum performance.

However, his approach shifted visibly at the Monaco Grand Prix, where enhanced coaching and strategy helped him secure pole position and a win. Despite this breakthrough, the challenge remains sustaining such peak performance consistently, especially given Piastri’s advantage at times, such as in Spain.

The revised front suspension geometry, which Norris benefited from, offers less anti-dive effect—a trait Norris’s driving style, favoring trail braking into corners, aligns with better. Conversely, Piastri declined to adopt this setup, reflecting differences in style and preference between the teammates.

While Norris has regained qualifying speed and race confidence, this is part of marginal gains that, if not maintained, could see his confidence wane again as pressures mount in the championship battle.

The Importance of Composure In Piastri’s Consistency

Oscar Piastri’s championship lead predominantly stems from his steadier mindset and consistency across qualifying and races. When considering pure pace, their head-to-head remains closely matched, though Piastri’s slight qualifying advantage—averaging 0.088 seconds faster and leading 9-5 in sessions—underscores his sharp edge in single-lap performance.

However, these statistics do not tell the full story, as Norris has at times succumbed to pressure-induced errors, such as his qualifying crash in Jeddah and the costly collision with Piastri in Canada. In these moments, Piastri’s cooler approach has allowed him to avoid mistakes that compromise his championship position.

Despite Norris’s impressive racing ability—demonstrated in an exceptional Austrian Grand Prix weekend—Piastri’s steadiness has kept him ahead. Norris’s recent back-to-back wins have injected excitement into the title race, though his Silverstone victory benefited significantly from Piastri receiving a 10-second penalty following a misjudgment under the safety car.

Norris has been candid about improvements in his mental state, claiming he feels less anxious and more confident. The current momentum offers him the ideal opportunity to convert these psychological gains into championship points.

Why Norris Is Becoming a Leading Contender This Season

Prior to recent races, many experts, including Mark Mann-Bryans, viewed Piastri as the clear favorite for the 2025 F1 title. The Canadian Grand Prix collision where Norris rear-ended Piastri appeared to widen the gap between them.

Yet Norris has displayed remarkable resilience since that setback, dominating the Austrian Grand Prix weekend despite limited running in practice and continuing his strong form with a home race win at Silverstone. Although the British Grand Prix victory partly resulted from Piastri’s penalty, Norris showed readiness to capitalize when opportunities arise.

Given the closeness of the points gap and Norris’s renewed confidence, Mann-Bryans suggests the title race is more open than ever. An event like the upcoming Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix could be decisive if Norris finishes ahead, potentially swinging momentum further in his favor. The evolving relationship between these teammates also adds intrigue, as maintaining professionalism amidst rivalry will be crucial.

Why Piastri Remains the Championship Favourite

Despite Norris’s recent back-to-back wins highlighting an impressive phase, Owen Bellwood stresses that these results contrast with Norris’s overall season performance, where inconsistency has been a factor. By contrast, Piastri has demonstrated control over the championship standings through regular point finishes and consistent performance.

After a shaky start in Australia, Piastri has emerged as the benchmark within the McLaren team, exhibiting stronger harmony with the MCL39 and bolstered confidence—qualities expected of a future world champion. Even when off his peak, such as at Silverstone, Piastri managed a podium finish, underscoring his resilience.

Looking ahead to Spa, Bellwood predicts Piastri will reinforce his lead and maintain his grip on the championship throughout the remaining races, asserting that a calmer mindset often prevails in tightly contested seasons.

What This Rivalry Means for McLaren and the Season’s Final Stretch

The championship tussle between Norris and Piastri represents a compelling narrative for McLaren as the two young drivers push each other amid the pressures of competing for their maiden F1 title. Norris’s recent form has injected belief in his capacity to challenge Piastri, yet the Australian’s consistent approach and lead remain significant hurdles.

As the season progresses through the last 12 races, the mental and technical battle will intensify within the team, with minor setup choices and driver psychology likely tipping the scales. How McLaren manages this internal rivalry could influence not only the drivers’ championship but also the team’s broader strategy and morale.

Ultimately, the question remains whether Lando Norris’s current momentum will translate into sustained superiority or if Oscar Piastri will harness his composure to secure the championship. Whatever the outcome, this unfolding rivalry promises high drama and critical moments as the 2025 season advances.

“It feels as if the front-suspension tweak McLaren introduced for Norris in Canada turned his MCL39 into the car with which he should have started the season.” —Stuart Codling

“Momentum is with Norris right now with consecutive wins at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone, but the latter was mainly the product of a lapse of judgement from Piastri under the safety car.” —Ben Vinel

“That is why, for me, at the moment Norris is the slight favourite, the points gap is negligible and could be overturned quite easily in Spa.” —Mark Mann-Bryans

“Piastri had his blip at the opening race in Australia, but since then has been the McLaren to beat.” —Owen Bellwood

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Is Lando Norris a billionaire?

A. Lando Norris, a driver from Britain, entered Formula 1 in 2019 racing with McLaren. He has earned $30 million (£22.6m) so far.

Q. How rich is Lando Norris?

A. 8. Lando Norris: Earning $30 million (£22.6m), British race car driver Lando Norris started racing in Formula 1 with McLaren in 2019.