Helmut Marko ‘hopeful’ of Lando Norris-Oscar Piastri outcome after McLaren’s dominant start to F1 2025

McLaren have dominated the beginning of the 2025 Formula 1 season, so Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will now try to continue their 100% start at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Woking outfit have led the way through the opening rounds in Melbourne and Shanghai after Norris won the Australian Grand Prix from pole position before Piastri won the Chinese Grand Prix from his first F1 pole. Both will now look for their first wins at Suzuka this Sunday.

Norris further took the fastest lap in Melbourne and he was also credited with it in Shanghai after Ferrari’s double disqualification from the Chinese GP denied Lewis Hamilton the fastest lap. Hamilton also denied McLaren a truly perfect start in Shanghai by winning the F1 Sprint.

Helmut Marko ‘hopeful’ Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri open the door for Max Verstappen’s F1 title defence

McLaren struggled with front tyre graining during Sprint qualifying and did not have enough life in their Pirelli rubber come the final sector to post competitive lap times. Norris only had the sixth-best time and fell backwards into P8 over the 19 laps to leave points on the table.

Piastri spinning in P2 in the Australian GP even saw the 23-year-old leave points on the table as he came P9 at home. The Melbourne native winning the Chinese GP ahead of Norris puts Piastri 10 points behind his teammate, with Max Verstappen and George Russell in between.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Verstappen is eight points behind Norris and one clear of Russell as the Red Bull ace targets his fifth F1 drivers’ championship in a row. And Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko hopes Norris and Piastri continue to take points off each other to help Verstappen’s title bid.

“Exactly,” Marko told OE24 about Verstappen’s fifth drivers’ title remaining Red Bull’s main objective. “And with an eight-point deficit after two races, nothing has really happened yet.

“Aside from the fact that Norris and Piastri will hopefully continue to steal points from each other for some time, a truly Verstappen-friendly track is coming up. Suzuka showcases his driving skills even more. Furthermore, the track is one of his absolute favourites.

“He had his very first Formula 1 race there in Friday practice and he’s won three times recently. We also hope that the RB21 performs better than it did in China.”

Max Verstappen cannot rely only on in-fighting at McLaren to defend his F1 title again

Verstappen is arguably overcoming his car to pose a title threat to McLaren duo Norris and Piastri with the 27-year-old suggesting at the Chinese GP that Red Bull might only have the fourth-fastest car. The Dutchman has lamented his RB21’s inconsistent balance this season.

Team principal Christian Horner hopes that Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson at Red Bull from the Japanese GP this weekend will help the Milton Keynes outfit to improve the RB21, noting how his experience after four full seasons at Racing Bulls can now provide a benefit.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

But Verstappen may have to hope like Marko that Norris and Piastri continue to take points off each other to stay close in the championship for now. He was unable to pose a threat in Shanghai as Verstappen came fourth, letting Norris in particular move slightly further away.

It will only be a sticking plaster solution, though, and Verstappen will need Red Bull to work on improving their RB21 to become only the second driver after Michael Schumacher in F1 history to win five titles in a row. The longer they struggle, the bigger his deficit could grow.