The season-opening Australian GP, last weekend, shed some light on the pecking order this season. And the common consensus in the paddock is that McLaren have lived up to their ‘clear favorites’ billing as Lando Norris took the first win of the season.
One of the biggest advantages for the Woking-based team is their driver lineup which is extremely close on pace and extracts the maximum out of the MCL39 package. However, this could also become their Achilles’ heel.
It seemed as though tensions were already rising on the pit wall last Sunday as a faster Oscar Piastri was asked to not attack his teammate, who was in the lead. After the race, the #81 driver did concede that he was disadvantaged by the decision as his tires fell off a cliff.
Naturally, veteran F1 presenter, Tom Clarkson feels that 2025 could serve up one of the fiercest rivalries between the duo of Norris and Piastri. “It’s almost like we’re going to see an old-school intra-team rivalry at McLaren. Think [Ayrton] Senna-[Alain] Prost, think [Nico] Rosberg-[Lewis] Hamilton,” he said on the F1 Nation Podcast. Now this isn’t something McLaren have suddenly woken up to in 2025.
Last year, there were hints of a possible intra-team rivalry between Norris and Piastri given the kind of tussles they had for the race lead. The Aussie, in particular, did not hesitate to make aggressive moves on the #4 driver at races like Hungary and Italy.
McLaren tell Oscar Piastri to “hold position” behind Lando Norris…
Piastri : “I’m faster but OK”#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/peCgVqCgwM
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 16, 2025
Former McLaren mechanic, Marc Priestley had even predicted how the McLaren duo won’t continue to have a friendly dynamic with each other if they have the fastest car and intend to fight for the drivers’ title in 2025. Guess what? That change could’ve started to take shape at the season-opening weekend itself.
Hamilton and Rosberg were in a similar positon when Mercedes first established their dominance in F1 in 2014. The upcoming seasons saw both drivers develop an intense rivalry, which culminated with Rosberg clinching the 2016 title and retiring.
Cut to 2025, a similar dynamic could brew within the Woking-based team and it will be an interesting one to keep track of. Historically, the team has refused to demarcate a clear number one driver — just like Mercedes — and seems to be sticking to their word so far, too.
That said, Piastri will be seeking more autonomy within the team as he vies for his maiden world title this season. In fact, the #81 driver recently signed a bumper multi-year contract extension, which could mean he will now have equal status with Norris on all fronts.
Can McLaren manage the Norris-Piastri tussle?
The Australian racing ace has been adamant that the team isn’t going to prioritize one driver over the other. Naturally, the phrase ‘Papaya Rules’ could become a regular term on the McLaren pit wall on more than one occasion this season.
With virtually no team orders, the duo of Norris and Piastri will be allowed to race each other — in equal machinery. This could serve up some very intense moments between the two and enjoyable on-track action.
With their rivals not too far away, in terms of pace, any slip-up whilst battling each other could hand the advantage to the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes or Ferrari. In the end, if this is the case, it makes for a compelling season to watch.
Former F1 driver and Sky Sports F1 analyst, Martin Brundle believes that the rivalry between the two McLaren drivers will define the Woking-based team’s season.
After the Australian GP, he said, “It’s going to be a season-long problem at McLaren. We knew it and here it is,” as per Planet F1. Could this affect McLaren’s defense of its Constructors’ championship? It is quite possible, which makes it utterly crucial for the top brass at Woking to take control of the situation and get their drivers on the same page.
