Lando Norris led the F1 drivers’ championship for just 35 days before losing the lead to McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, and Gian Carlo Minardi expects a response in Miami.
The travelling circus of Formula 1 sets up its shop in Florida this weekend for round six. The circuit set inside the car parks that line Hard Rock Stadium is expected to suit McLaren best, as well, to put a race victory on the line amid the 2025 title fight between Norris and Piastri.
Piastri opened a 10-point lead in the F1 drivers’ championship over Norris last time out after winning the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Yet a maximum of 33 points are available this week as the Miami GP will host a Sprint for a second straight season and the second of this year’s six.
Gian Carlo Minardi tells Lando Norris to show Oscar Piastri the ‘coldness’ to win an F1 title
The Chinese Grand Prix held the first Sprint of the 2025 F1 season, and saw Piastri begin the 24-year-old’s path to the top of the standings. Norris had led the 25-year-old’s teammate by 23 points after winning the Australian Grand Prix, but he has enjoyed the MCL39 less since.
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| 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 |
Costly errors in the past two rounds have especially punished the Briton after seeing Piastri score a dominant Bahrain Grand Prix win from pole and win in Saudi Arabia from P2. Norris called himself ‘clueless’ after qualifying P6 in Bahrain and shot himself in the foot in Jeddah.
After seeing the Australian take more speed through Turn 4 in Q1 and Q2, Norris crashed in Q3 for the 2025 Saudi Arabian GP attempting to match Piastri. So, Minardi expects to see a response this weekend at the Miami GP with Norris told to show Piastri his title credentials.
Minardi wrote on his website: “The leitmotif of the weekend will be the internal struggle at McLaren, who will try to widen the gap from their direct rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, but above all the battle between Piastri and Norris.
“On the one hand, the Australian will try to consolidate his leadership, both within the team as well as in the championship, while Norris will be called to respond to the mistakes made in Bahrain [and Saudi Arabia].
“He must demonstrate that he has regained the confidence and coldness necessary to fight for the drivers’ championship.”
Lando Norris has never won an F1 Sprint on merit ahead of the 2025 Miami Grand Prix
Minardi is not alone in feeling Norris has to respond to Piastri’s recent form at the Miami GP after losing the lead of the championship to his McLaren teammate. Timo Glock feels Norris must ‘deprive’ Piastri of a chance to build his championship lead and take control in Florida.
The Miami GP being a Sprint weekend also gives the 25-year-old two chances to eat into or beat the 24-year-old’s 10-point lead. But he is still yet to win any F1 Sprint on merit as Piastri gave Norris the 2024 Sao Paulo Sprint win, as McLaren used team orders to help his title bid.
That said, the Briton returned the favour when Norris gave Piastri the 2024 Qatar Sprint win by pulling over after the final corner to let the Australian through. It even meant Piastri took back-to-back Sprint wins in Lusail after winning the 2023 edition on merit in his rookie term.
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