Montoya: Heading to Miami, Piastri is inside Norris’s head

Monday, 28 April 2025 at 16:40

With a win in China and back-to-back victories in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Oscar Piastri has seized momentum heading into the Miami Grand Prix, and former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes he now has the upper hand over McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Norris triumphed at the Australian Grand Prix, but Piastri has since responded in emphatic fashion. While Max Verstappen remains a threat after his sensational win in Japan, Montoya feels McLaren have the strongest package and it is Piastri who is currently on top within the team.

Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, ex-Formula 1 driver Montoya said: “Absolutely, Oscar Piastri has got inside Lando Norris’s head. Lando just wants so much more that it's not there, realistically.

"I think somebody needs to be on Lando's corner to go to him and say, ‘Just stop looking at Oscar. Just do you.’ At the weekend, he said he felt clueless and like he’d never driven an F1 car before. Then he made those mistakes," recalled Montoya.

Asked whether Piastri’s form is putting Norris under pressure, Montoya said: “What you can see clearly is that he's putting enough pressure on Lando to force him into making mistakes. If Lando stays in his bubble and does what Lando does best without worrying about Oscar, I think Lando could beat him pretty easily."

Norris versus Piastri

Montoya continued: "The problem is, Oscar is getting too close for him. I think Lando wants to see like a two or three tenths of a second gap where he can relax. When he has that, he can push comfortably knowing he has that cushion. But when that cushion is not there, he tries to create a cushion when it's not needed.

You can be on pole by half a tenth, or a tenth. But he's not looking to be on pole by a tenth of a second – he wants three or four. And that's where the mistakes are coming. They are self-inflicted.”

Montoya also criticised Norris for appearing defensive about McLaren’s advantage this season, saying: “Every other year when Lando's done good, he was the underdog. And this time, like he's defending himself, saying, ‘We're still really good, it's not the car.’

"They are in the best car. He’s putting extra pressure on himself. He shouldn’t be making excuses and apologising. He should just celebrate that they have the best car, tell everyone that everybody on the team is doing an amazing job, and that we're winning the races.”

Montoya: McLaren must let Piastri and Norris race for now

Piastri: Track position around Suzuka is so important

With Piastri’s winning streak putting Norris under increasing pressure, Montoya believes McLaren bosses Zak Brown and Andrea Stella should continue to let their drivers race, at least for now.

Asked whether McLaren should prioritise Piastri over Norris at this stage, Montoya said:
“That would be difficult. I think if Lando had an advantage, it would be clearer to tell Oscar, ‘OK, let’s be smart.’ That’s not the case.

"I think what they're going to do is to base everything on qualifying at the moment. They want to score them. They want to maximise the amount of constructors’ points and they don't want them to race each other this early in the year.

"Basically, if you qualify ahead, it's yours. Unless something major happens or you go off, they're going to control the situation until race 15. At that point, the constructors’ championship should be done.”

As the McLaren duo prepare to resume battle in Miami, the stakes continue to rise, and leading the F1 standings for the first time, Piastri’s surge in confidence could prove decisive.

But Norris will be inspired by his victory at Hard Rock Stadium last year and is aiming for a repeat. An interesting weekend lies ahead for McLaren.

(Source: Fast Slots Media Team)