McLaren have asserted their dominance in the first five races of the 2025 season. However, the driver leading the charge will have come as a surprise to many.
Lando Norris was widely branded as the favourite for the championship this season. Having learned from battling Max Verstappen in 2024 and now boasting the fastest car, the Brit was expected to dethrone the Red Bull driver and win the title.
Norris won the season opener in Melbourne from pole position, but has only qualified on the front row once since that race. In the meantime, McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri has asserted control.
| 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 |
The Aussie claimed commanding victories in China and Bahrain, before beating Verstappen in Saudi Arabia after he was handed a five-second penalty for their first corner incident. Piastri now leads the championship by 10 points after 2025’s first triple header.
Piastri has extra ‘confidence’ this season after playing number two to Norris in 2024. The Brit was favoured in the push to beat Verstappen, but he came up short by 63 points.
Now, Piastri is looking to establish his authority at McLaren in 2025 – many in the F1 paddock believe he has already done it, which will certainly worry Norris.
READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration
‘Popular opinion’ in the F1 paddock is Oscar Piastri is at a ‘very high level’ and a ‘clear’ title candidate
Speaking via The After Lap Podcast, journalist Albert Fabrega discussed what the paddock have been saying about Piastri after his win in Jeddah. He says the ‘popular opinion’ is that the 24-year-old is already at a ‘very high level’ and a ‘clear candidate’ for the title.
This will worry Norris, given that he would have been looking to establish himself as the favourite for the championship. This season may be his best chance to take the crown before the new technical regulations in 2025, but his teammate is making it increasingly difficult for him.
“I don’t know if internally at McLaren, we’ll see as the days go by, but at least in the Formula 1 paddock,” said Fabrega.
“The feeling, I don’t know if it’s unanimous, I don’t think so, because you know that the more British side is always much more Norris than Piastri.
“But the popular opinion, let’s say radio paddock, is that Piastri is already at a very high level and that he is a clear candidate to fight for the world [championship].
“For his speed, for his solidity, for his consistency, because we have seen that he has been fast on all fronts, not like last year where he sometimes got lost.”
READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend
What does Lando Norris need to do to get the better of Oscar Piastri in 2025?
It is quickly becoming apparent that Piastri is Norris’ biggest threat in 2025. The opening five races have proven he might be struggling to cope with the Aussie’s pressure.
Norris made several costly mistakes that ruined his title chances in 2024, and these errors are persisting in 2025. The Brit has struggled in qualifying this season, with his crash in Q3 in Saudi Arabia being damaging as he lined up 10th.
Norris is constantly surprised by the MCL39’s behaviour in qualifying as he pushes the car to the limit in the closing stages. This year’s McLaren is more difficult to drive, but the 24-year-old’s mistakes are still a prominent problem.
Gary Anderson says Norris needs to refine his racecraft, as weaknesses in 2024 are still apparent in 2025. He will need to be more in control of his MCL39 if he is to get the better of his revitalised teammate.
