Norris Needs to Emulate Piastri’s Approach and Be Kinder to Himself – Jake Boxall-Legge
In the latest eight rounds of the championship, Oscar Piastri has secured 126 points, while Lando Norris follows closely with 116 points. The debate about who deserved the win in Hungary could go on; Piastri had stronger initial stints, but Norris put up a formidable challenge with impressive pace in his final stint. However, the difference in speed at Spa was undeniable.
PLUS: Was the Belgian Grand Prix Piastri’s finest F1 race to date?
The key distinction between Piastri and Norris so far has been their tyre management. Norris, with four years of additional experience in managing Pirelli tyres, previously held an advantage going into 2024 with his ability to convert early management into blistering late-race speed. However, the Australian is closing the gap and is perilously close to matching him. Norris is aware of this.
McLaren should have already claimed more than two victories this season. Strategies have not found the optimal balance between ambition and caution, and race pace has often arrived too late to make a difference. Norris’s failure to win in Barcelona and Hungary can be attributed to mismanaged starts, with his first-lap issues continuing at Spa when he took the exit of La Source too wide, costing him critical momentum.
In contrast, Piastri displays a greater sense of assurance. He maintains a level-headed demeanor behind the wheel, which aligns with his approachable and grounded personality. On team radio, he demonstrates a coolness—almost tinged with dry wit—that indicates his ability to compartmentalize his emotions from the demands of racing. He recognizes his potential to make mistakes while simultaneously believing in his capacity to recover, whereas Norris often engages in self-criticism that seems to spiral downward, affecting his mood further.
It’s evident that Piastri is learning from Norris on elevating tyre management, and his raw pace is already on par with his teammate’s. If this trend continues post-summer break, one might begin to consider that Piastri could start to take the lead.
For Norris to reassert his role as team leader, he could benefit from a few lessons from his younger teammate on self-compassion. Simply refraining from calling himself ‘stupid’ could be a constructive first step.
McLaren Must Stay Committed to Its Bold Equal Driver Policy – Filip Cleeren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, celebrate in Parc Ferme after locking out the front row
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
When presented with the choice to return the lead to Piastri during the Hungarian Grand Prix or defy team orders for his own victory, Norris was faced with two potential outcomes.
The first outcome is what unfolded, although his delayed swap undermined what should have been a straightforward 1-2 finish and deprived him of the chance to challenge Piastri again.
The other scenario could have resulted in Norris capturing his second Grand Prix win while denying Piastri a first. Additionally, it would have reduced Norris’s deficit to Max Verstappen by seven points, leaving him trailing by 71 points at the summer break instead of 78.
But at what potential cost? It would have eroded the trust he has built within the team over five years, damaged his rapport with Piastri, and these factors could have long-term repercussions far greater than just those seven points.
I bring this up as we have now moved one race beyond Hungary, with not much changing in the dynamics.
Verstappen still maintains a substantial lead, even increasing it at Spa-Francorchamps. It is unrealistic to expect that as rival teams continue to strip points from each other, Norris can replicate Verstappen-like dominance to shift the balance in the drivers’ championship.
McLaren continues its journey toward becoming a championship-caliber team, as evidenced by various mistakes in the last couple of months—mistakes that encompass both strategies and driver performance.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, gets a wheel on the gravel at the start
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Norris has made his share of unforced errors lately, which he has been quick to criticize himself for, but he has demonstrated that he is the real deal, albeit a rough diamond requiring some refinement.
Piastri has distinguished himself by exhibiting greater composure than Norris, despite being less experienced. That said, he is also not the finished product, although his remarkable performance in only his second season raises questions about just how high his potential might reach.
Presently, McLaren’s priority should be on minimizing those errors, enhancing the car, and aiding both Norris and Piastri in becoming their best selves. This cannot be achieved through favoritism before it becomes unequivocally essential, as it risks damaging morale within one side of the garage.
Whether McLaren’s culture can withstand the challenge of having two equal drivers—something many other teams have historically failed at—remains to be seen, but it’s too early to abandon it. Supporting one driver prematurely could lead to repercussions that are impossible to mend.
Norris Has Identified Piastri’s Different Approach – Alex Kalinauckas
“Oscar appears more comfortable with not pushing too hard and can extract more from the car as a result.”
Norris mentioned this to me in Barcelona last month. Just weeks after celebrating his maiden F1 victory in Miami, he remained focused on areas for improvement ahead.
This particularly pertained to minimizing errors at the limit during qualifying. However, it is pertinent to consider the discussion initiated by Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, who mentioned, rather cleverly, that “he’s improving race by race, and at this stage, he seems like the mentally stronger driver [at McLaren].”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, leads Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar
Piastri’s calm temperament supports Norris’s observation, as he seamlessly adapts to whatever McLaren needs to combat the varying challenges of 2024, particularly against Red Bull. He appears to have an edge in at least one critical area, reinforcing Marko’s viewpoint.
That said, errors continue to plague both McLaren drivers. This does not diminish the team’s impressive year-over-year improvements or their reliability this season, nor does it overshadow their streak of podium finishes in ten consecutive races. However, at Spa, driver errors proved decisive.
For Norris, this meant hitting the gravel at La Source and failing to execute a proper pass on Carlos Sainz. For Piastri, it entailed a lengthy stop in the pit box, which nearly endangered his front jackman during his second stop. At Silverstone, Norris’s notable error gained the spotlight while Piastri, too, stalled his service for slightly too long during both of his pit stops.
In simple terms, Piastri made fewer mistakes this past Sunday, which enhanced his result. Conversely, Norris still managed to outpace him in qualifying. Discussing tyre management—which McLaren sought improvement from Piastri and appreciated in his results for 2024—Norris held a definitive advantage in the final stint last week in Budapest, where Piastri occasionally strayed.
It’s a thrilling rivalry between two exceptional teammates and new F1 winners, but Piastri’s relative inexperience could work to his advantage. This suggests he still possesses considerable potential for improvement, and his current calmness should translate into confidence moving forward.
McLaren Faces the Daunting Challenge of Keeping Two Drivers Content – Ben Hunt
The more I observe Piastri, the more I’m struck by his impressive performance at McLaren. Throughout much of his journey with the team, he has diligently worked in Norris’s shadow, quietly learning from his teammate.
Piastri has done so without fuss or drawing attention to himself, and in my view, he is now nearly on par with Norris in skill, particularly regarding racecraft. While he has not been flawless—for instance, encountering a pit stop overshoot that nearly endangered his front jackman during the Belgian Grand Prix—his mistakes have significantly reduced compared to 2023, his rookie season.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, pole man Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, in Parc Ferme
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Piastri’s first F1 victory came at the Hungarian Grand Prix amidst the team orders controversy. Regardless of whether McLaren was justified in asking Norris to yield, Piastri’s handling of the scenario was notably professional.
He communicated calmly with his race engineer, demonstrating a steely demeanor that removes emotion from decision-making, leading to stronger choices.
I understand why McLaren might be tempted to prioritize Norris over Piastri going into the latter half of this season, as the Brit holds a 32-point lead in the drivers’ championship and needs every advantage to close the gap on Verstappen’s 78-point lead.
However, McLaren—and Norris alike—may face a potential dilemma in maintaining harmony as they manage to have perhaps the strongest driver pairing on the grid. Instances like those in Hungary, where both could vie for wins, will undoubtedly arise more frequently.
The crux will likely lie in which driver can maintain their composure best, and at this moment, that appears to be Piastri. It now falls to McLaren to ensure they handle the relationship carefully to avert any discord while striving to keep both drivers satisfied—a tremendously challenging undertaking!
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