Oscar Piastri leads the championship, but it doesn’t look comfortable. Six wins should feel commanding, yet Norris is always lurking, nine points back and carrying momentum. It’s the most authentic intra-team rivalry we’ve seen in years—two drivers with almost identical machinery, no team orders, and nothing to hide behind.
For Piastri, though, the margin for error is shrinking. Norris has more experience in the car, more familiarity with the team, and a growing belief that this could finally be his season. If McLaren let the fight run wild without discipline, the balance could tip. That’s why Piastri’s side of the garage needs tunnel vision. Forget Verstappen, forget Ferrari, forget the noise of the wider grid. The only battle that matters is against the guy in the same color.
This isn’t about disrespecting Norris—it’s about reality. When you’re leading the championship, you can’t split focus. Piastri’s mechanics, strategists, and engineers should live and breathe one mission: keep him ahead of Lando. It doesn’t matter if he finishes second, fifth, or tenth—so long as Norris is behind, the title is alive.
That’s what makes this duel fascinating. McLaren are giving us a rivalry that feels both fair and ferocious, but behind the wheel, there’s no room for sentiment. Piastri doesn’t need to be the people’s champion—he needs to be champion, period. And the only way that happens is if his side of the garage treats Norris not as a teammate, but as the only enemy that matters.
