BREAKING: Lando Norris BREAK Silence on Relationship with Oscar Piastri Amid F1…read more
Lando Norris BREAKS Silence on Relationship with Oscar Piastri Amid F1..read more
McLaren’s Lando Norris insists his relationship with teammate Oscar Piastri remains strong despite his defeat at the Chinese Grand Prix, where Piastri secured his first win of the 2025 season. The Australian dominated from pole position at the Shanghai International Circuit, delivering a flawless performance as McLaren secured back-to-back victories this year.
Norris, meanwhile, struggled to match Piastri’s pace and ultimately had to settle for second place, managing critical brake issues in the closing laps. As the title race heats up, questions have emerged about whether the rivalry between the two young McLaren stars could intensify.
Norris: “We Both Want to Win, But We Work Together”
Speaking to the media, including Total-Motorsport.com, Norris dismissed the idea of tensions rising between him and Piastri, emphasizing their mutual respect and teamwork.
“We know that as much as we work together and have a good time, we both want to beat each other and show who’s best,” Norris explained. “That’s inevitable. But we help each other out, and I think we both achieved something better this weekend because of that.”
While acknowledging the competitive nature of their partnership, Norris pointed out that McLaren must remain focused on the bigger picture, particularly with rival teams working on upgrades.
“Other teams have already talked about upgrades, and they can catch up quicker than you think just like we did last year. So as much as we’re competing, we also have to think as a team and keep pushing forward.”
Rivalry to Heat Up in Japan?
The next stop on the calendar is the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, a track that historically suits McLaren’s high-downforce package. With their car’s strong tyre management compared to Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes, Norris and Piastri are expected to be leading contenders for victory.
Currently, Norris leads Piastri by 10 points in the championship standings. With the Australian now back in the title fight, their battle could intensify, and Norris hinted at the possibility of things getting more competitive between them.
“I didn’t watch Formula 1 back then it would have been 2007? Lewis [Hamilton] and Fernando [Alonso],” Norris joked, referencing McLaren’s infamous intra-team rivalry. “You wait until he has a pit stop behind me, and I’m not going to drive out. Or we’ll have a little Multi-22 or something.”
Despite the humor, Norris acknowledged that their fights could get closer as the season progresses.
“We were free to race today. I didn’t have the pace to really get up to Oscar, and he drove very well. So he deserved it. Same last weekend. There were those two laps that I know everyone loves to talk about where we just held position, but the rest of it, we were free to race.
“I’m sure we’re going to have some closer racing at some point. We’re both excited probably nervous and excited at the same time, as I’m sure the team will be but we’re ready.”
With McLaren looking like early title contenders, all eyes will be on how Norris and Piastri handle their growing rivalry. As they head into Suzuka, the balance of power within the team could shift, setting the stage for a fascinating battle between the two young stars.
