Lando Norris’s racecraft in wheel-to-wheel combat has once again come under scrutiny, with pundits—including our team here at GRANDPRIX247 and 2 Soft Compounds host Rick Houghton—wondering if the McLaren driver is lacking in some of the basics of overtaking in the heat of battle.
Norris, seen by many before the season began as the favourite for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship title, continues to show vulnerability when going head-to-head in intense race situations, particularly at the sharp end against rivals like Max Verstappen, where crucial duels have often ended in frustration for the 25-year-old Briton.
While Norris has shown pace in clean air and strong consistency over a race distance, he has struggled to convert advantageous positions into victories during intense on-track battles. In contrast, teammate Oscar Piastri appears to thrive under pressure.
With just 52 Grand Prix starts to his name, the 23-year-old Australian has already secured six wins, three of them in consecutive races this season, compared to Norris’s tally of five victories from 141 starts.
Piastri is clinical in battle while Norris needs to raise his game
To expand that tally and stake a stronger claim in the 2025 F1 title fight, Norris will need to sharpen his attacking instincts and show greater authority when racing wheel-to-wheel. Piastri’s more clinical approach in critical race moments, even against Verstappen, is beginning to draw clear distinctions between the two drivers.
As it stands after Round 6 - the Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race weekend - Norris trails his McLaren teammate by 16 points in the standings.
Discussing Norris’ vulnerability, former Formula 1 driver turned pundit Ralf Schumacher said on the Sky DE Backstage Boxengasse podcast: “Norris has been around long enough and there are no excuses for that. There are just drivers who have a very good eye for that.
“For example, Verstappen—just like Piastri or Oliver Bearman. Norris just misses that and is not really learning. It will stay that way. That's why he tried it at the start of the [Miami Grand Prix]. That was an act of defiance, but he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
McLaren harmony remains... for now
Schumacher added: “Norris lacks the basic instinct when it comes to overtaking. You learn that in karting and he should be able to do that. He also sometimes takes too long to make his way to the front. That is honestly a problem, and that is not how he will become world champion.”
The internal dynamics at McLaren have so far remained calm, despite both drivers vying for victories. Comparisons have been drawn to past high-stakes intra-team battles, such as the 2016 title fight between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
At this stage, however, Norris and Piastri are conducting themselves with composure and mutual respect, avoiding public confrontation even as tensions naturally rise. Gentlemen.
Still, with both drivers fighting for the same piece of tarmac and McLaren now a contender for wins every weekend, the prospect of on-track clashes cannot be ruled out as the season progresses. Team Principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown have maintained control of the situation with their 'Papaya Rules', but that approach may face a sterner test later in the year.
Webber's influence could be decisive in Piastri's rise
What will make the difference? What Piastri does possess—arguably his greatest asset—is the experienced guidance of nine-time Grand Prix winner and veteran of 215 F1 starts, Mark Webber, as his manager and mentor. The Australian has been instrumental in steering his young countryman’s career, including the pivotal decision to leave Alpine and align with McLaren at the right moment.
That move has paid off handsomely, and Piastri’s calm, calculated racing style suggests a maturity beyond his years. In contrast, Norris appears to lack a comparable figure in his corner—no former Grand Prix winner or high-profile racing mentor offering strategic insight.
The absence of such a guiding presence may be a subtle but telling difference between consistently converting opportunities into wins, as Piastri is doing, and losing races from winning positions, as Norris too often has done.
Schumacher: Momentum shifted from Norris and is now with Piastri
Thus, like many, six-time GP winner Schumacher sees the driver momentum at McLaren shifting: “Piastri clearly feels superior again after the weekend. He also had a bit of bad luck with the safety car during the sprint race. That’s the only reason why Norris won in the end.
“It’s a difficult situation for Norris. He also doesn’t make any friends with his criticism of Verstappen. Not even in his own team, because team boss Andrea Stella also saw that it was Norris’s fault.
“At some point, Norris will of course know that he has to deliver. He will now increase his risk. And I think he is also tired of being labelled as ‘the weak one’ by everyone. I think he wants to show more toughness now, but he doesn’t have the same feeling as Piastri.
“Piastri can also drive tight lines and defend hard. I could imagine that Norris sometimes misjudges the situation in a direct McLaren duel and then there can be contact between the two,” Schumacher concluded.
Time will tell whether Norris can change his ways or if Piastri simply gets better and better and staves him off. This is turning out to be a classic case of 'To Be F1 World Champion You Have To Beat Your Teammate' in 2025.
Who will be 2025 F1 World Champion, Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri or neither?
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