Lando Norris returns to the circuit of his first Formula 1 win for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix trailing his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ standings by 10 points.
The Briton had led the way since the opening round of the 2025 F1 season after winning the Australian Grand Prix saw Norris dethrone Max Verstappen of Red Bull after 1,029 days. But Piastri has been the in-form driver since round two and dethroned Norris after only 35 days.
Norris has not felt as comfortable in the McLaren MCL39 as Piastri since sealing an early 23-point lead in the F1 drivers’ championship in Melbourne. He has only been their lead driver in Japan since, while Piastri has won from pole in China and Bahrain plus P2 in Saudi Arabia.
Sakhir and Jeddah particularly highlighted the Briton’s struggles compared to the Australian of late. Norris called himself ‘clueless’ after qualifying P6 for the Bahrain GP and he crashed in Q3 at the Saudi Arabian GP trying to match the speed that Piastri carried through Turn 4.
Lando Norris must ‘deprive’ Oscar Piastri of opening his F1 championship lead at the Miami Grand Prix
Now, the 25-year-old returns to Florida a year on from Norris winning his first F1 race at the 2024 Miami GP trailing 24-year-old Piastri by 10 points. And Timo Glock believes it could be ‘important’ Norris hits back at the 2025 Miami GP to prevent Piastri starting to take control.
Glock told Sky Germany: “It would be an important step to level the duel somewhat, and deprive Piastri of the opportunity to establish a clear position. He must have Piastri under control this weekend.”
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Norris opened a 23-point lead over his McLaren teammate in round one as Piastri recovered to P9 after spinning whilst P2 in the Australian GP. But the latter has been McLaren’s quicker driver since to flip a 23-point gap into a 10-point lead over four Grands Prix and an F1 Sprint.
Lando Norris sees a chance to score ‘more points’ with the Miami GP an F1 Sprint event
Norris has utilised the two-week break between the Saudi Arabian and Miami Grands Prix to use the simulator at the McLaren Technology Centre to prepare for this week’s meet at Hard Rock Stadium. He also sees the event as a chance to earn extra points with it a Sprint event.
“Last week, I was back at the MTC with the team and back in the sim to prepare for Miami,” Norris said in McLaren’s pre-event press release. “It’s a Sprint weekend, which means there are more points to race for. It should be another good weekend – bring it on!”
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The Miami GP will stage the second Sprint round of the 2025 season after the Chinese GP in round two staged the first of six. But it was in the Shanghai Sprint that Piastri first hit back at the deficit Norris opened in Australia as the Melbourne native secured P2 to the Briton’s P8.
Norris could only qualify P6 for the Shanghai Sprint after making a mistake on his last lap in SQ3, whereas Piastri took P3 on the grid. It proved to be an advantage that the 24-year-old held onto throughout with Piastri winning the Chinese GP from his first pole position in F1.
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