Lando Norris accidentally admits he has one weakness that could end up handing Oscar Piastri the F1 title

Lando Norris is only 10 points behind McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in the F1 title race. The contrasting coverage of the two drivers would suggest that the gap is far larger.

Indeed, if Norris were to win the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend and Piastri finished third – a highly plausible scenario based on the performances of Max Verstappen – then the McLaren duo would be level on points.

But the criticism of Norris reflects his failure to meet expectations. With McLaren entering the year as a dominant team for the first time in recent memory, he was expected to take control of the title race.

After all, he’d finished more than 80 points ahead of Piastri last season. He won the qualifying head-to-head 21-3 and the race-day battle 17-7.

But that advantage has disappeared this season. If anything, Piastri has turned it on its head, with his converted pole in Spain putting him 5-4 up in both departments.

There have been few glimpses of Norris’ best form in the first third of the season. Despite his slender lead, Piastri looks like a secure favourite for the championship right now.

Lando Norris hints that inconsistency is his biggest problem at McLaren

Speaking to BBC Sport, Norris said that, ‘deep down’, he views himself as the best driver on the grid. He doesn’t have the pedigree of Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso – F1’s three world champions – but he thinks he can beat them all on his day.

However, he’s finding it ‘very, very difficult’ to unlock his highest level on a consistent basis. And that is the weakness that could cost him the championship this year.

Norris’ results have been notably more varied than Piastri’s in 2025. In the fastest car on the grid, he’s qualified outside the top five on three occasions (most notably when he crashed in Saudi Arabia).

By contrast, Piastri has been inside the top three in every competitive session since a spin in Australia that demoted him to the lower reaches of the points.

“I do believe I’m the best driver,” Norris said. “Maybe not on every given day, and every single day.

“I do believe that I can drive quicker and perform better than everyone else on the grid. But to perform at that level consistently is a very, very difficult thing, no matter what the conditions are, what car you’re in, who you’re against.

“That can be a more defining question. Maybe sometimes I find it hard to admit and just say. But I wouldn’t be racing in Formula 1, I wouldn’t be fighting for a world championship, if I didn’t believe deep down that I could be the best in the world.”

Lando Norris just made a mistake when talking about Max Verstappen

Sky interviewer Natalie Pinkham says Norris has been more level-headed this season. She noticed this in the media pen at the Monaco GP, when the Briton was impressively measured after taking pole.

Norris went on to win the iconic race for the first time with a flawless drive. He’s quietened the narrative that he’s less resilient than Piastri, but he still hasn’t found the same level of comfort with the MCL39.

According to David Coulthard, Verstappen sees Piastri as his only title rival this year. The reigning champion is an outsider but can’t be counted out.

In the aforementioned BBC interview, Norris defended Verstappen’s driving style. He arguably needs to start asserting himself against the ultra-aggressive Dutchman off track before he does so on it.