McLaren team principal Andrea Stella addressed whether Lando Norris faces greater pressure than teammate Oscar Piastri in their quest for the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship. While Norris brings more experience to the team, Stella emphasized Piastri’s rapid learning ability as a major asset.
This season, Norris has encountered challenges due to modifications made to McLaren’s MCL39 car, which affected his driving approach. These changes have influenced the dynamics between Norris and Piastri as they compete for the title.
The Ongoing Duel: Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in F1 2025
The battle for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship has narrowed down to McLaren’s two drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Initially, Piastri established himself as the frontrunner by creating a points gap. However, Norris responded impressively, winning three of the last four races and trimming Piastri’s lead to nine points with ten rounds remaining.
Norris, now in his seventh F1 season with McLaren, holds considerably more experience than Piastri, who is in just his third year. This experience gap led to questions for Stella about whether Norris might be under added pressure to secure the championship this year.
“As you say, Lando may have a bit more experience in terms of number of races,”
Stella said during the Hungarian Grand Prix.
He noted how both drivers showed strong performances at the season opener in Australia despite challenging conditions. Piastri had been closely matched with Norris until weather complications affected his race outcome.
Stella praised Piastri’s quick adaptability, highlighting his record of winning in his rookie seasons at junior levels and his fast progression at McLaren.
“Now we have Lando and Oscar driving and operating at very, very similar levels.”
Details Behind Norris’ Driving Style Adjustments
Before Norris’ recent surge, he had secured only two wins out of ten races. Stella acknowledged that McLaren’s modifications to the MCL39 car have impacted Norris’ established driving style, creating an adjustment period for the Briton.
The team introduced upgrades that required different car settings for each driver, leading to variations in how Norris and Piastri approached races. Despite this, Stella expressed satisfaction that both drivers are now able to perform more naturally within those setups.
“They can express their talent, and we see that they are very, very close. This makes it a great spectacle for Formula 1, this is what we wanted to achieve as a team, and I think it’s going to be very interesting until the end of the season.”
McLaren’s Position in the Constructors’ Championship
McLaren currently dominates the Constructors’ Championship, holding a commanding lead over their closest competitors. Ferrari trails significantly, positioned 299 points behind McLaren, underscoring McLaren’s strong team performance this year.
Both Norris and Piastri continue to push hard, with the championship fight expected to remain intense through the remaining races. Their closely matched pace and contrasting experiences add further intrigue to the final stages of the season.