The first triple header of the 2025 Formula 1 season has come and gone, with Oscar Piastri taking the advantage over McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
The Brit came into the triple header in Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as the championship leader. Norris looked to extend his lead at the top, but he had a troublesome time over those three weekends.
McLaren could not beat Max Verstappen at Suzuka as they got stuck in the dirty air, finishing second and third. In Bahrain, it was clear that the momentum had shifted in Piastri’s favour.
The Aussie took pole position in Sakhir while Norris could only manage sixth. He recovered to finish third, but his teammate dominated the field – Jeddah proved to be much worse for the 24-year-old.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Oscar Piastri |
99 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
89 |
| 3 |
Max Verstappen |
87 |
| 4 |
George Russell |
73 |
| 5 |
Charles Leclerc |
47 |
| 6 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
38 |
| 7 |
Lewis Hamilton |
31 |
| 8 |
Alexander Albon |
20 |
| 9 |
Esteban Ocon |
14 |
| 10 |
Lance Stroll |
10 |
Norris crashed in Q3 after running on the curb at turn four, which spat him into the wall. He struggled to get through the traffic in the race and finished fourth while Piastri grabbed his third win of the season and the lead of the championship.
The F1 paddock now see Piastri at a ‘very high level’ and a ‘clear candidate’ to win the title as he leads Norris by 10 points. The end of the first triple header of 2025 will present a great opportunity for the Brit to have a reset – he struggled to cope with its demanding nature.
Lando Norris has just experienced the same ‘savage’ problem as Daniel Ricciardo with triple headers
Norris’ issues are reminiscent of those of Daniel Ricciardo. The Aussie lost his seat at Racing Bulls last season after scoring just 12 points from 18 Grand Prix.
Triple headers offer little time to recover from a setback and Ricciardo certainly struggled with that. Journalist Nate Saunders recalled how the 35-year-old branded them as ‘savage’ when drivers are in bad form – Norris has just faced the same issue with his woes in Bahrain and Jeddah.
Speaking via ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, Saunders said: “I think it will be fascinating to see what Lando’s mindset and mood will be, just having that one week away from all of us in the media, away from all the cameras and away from everything.
“A triple header, I feel like especially when these drivers, they’re not in the best form, it’s just constant. It’s race after race after race and some of them say it’s good to get back in the car and go.
“But I remember talking to Daniel Ricciardo last year and he said these triple headers are savage when you’re in bad form.
“If you’re not feeling it on the Sunday, you’re back in the car five days later and often you’re like: ‘It’s not like I’ve magical found it overnight.’ And that extra week just gives you a bit of headspace.”
READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration
Lando Norris has clear improvements to make after the first triple header of 2025
The week’s break before the Miami GP will be vital for Norris as it gives him a chance to debrief and get his head in the right mindset. However, the past three races have exposed multiple weaknesses that need addressing.
Norris is constantly surprised by the MCL39’s behaviour when pushed to the limit in qualifying. While McLaren have made the car more difficult to drive, mistakes have persisted from the Brit.
Gary Anderson says Norris must refine his racecraft, with several problems from last season since apparent in 2025. A key instance of this was in Jeddah when fighting through the traffic – Norris lacked the ‘necessary cleverness’ to battle Lewis Hamilton as he kept losing position down the main straight.
It is clear that the pressure of fighting for the championship is getting to the 24-year-old. Piastri ‘forcefully’ took the number one status at McLaren from Norris – he has a lot of work to do if he wants to regain control.
