Oscar Piastri was one of the stars of the show at the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony in Baku on Friday night. The McLaren driver won the Rookie of the Year for his impressive performance with the British team in the 2023 F1 season. Therefore, he was present in the Azerbaijan capital, unlike Lando Norris, and for obvious reasons. Norris, who had no part to play in the FIA Gala, recently decided to take a dig at his teammate instead.
F1 is on a winter break after the conclusion of the season. Therefore, the drivers are now off duty and having a much-needed break from their work. Norris, who is also enjoying the break attended McLaren’s Christmas party recently, where he took the hit at Piastri.
As Norris attended the party and was not in Baku, revealing the reason for his absence there, the British driver said, “I didn’t want to get any trophies at the FIA ceremony so that I could be here [McLaren’s party], unlike Oscar.” As the McLaren star was about to finish, laughter erupted from the audience.
Admittedly, this was the second time when Piastri won the Rookie of the Year at the FIA gala. Earlier, he was selected the same in 2021 for his impeccable F2 winning season. Interestingly, Norris also had this title under his claim when he took the prize in 2019.
Norris debuted in F1 in 2019 and it was the same year when George Russell and Alex Albon also joined the sport. However, it was the 24-year-old who came out on top eventually. Nevertheless, Norris’ recent banter is an example of how the McLaren duo never leaves the chance to go at each other.
How did the 2023 F1 season go for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and McLaren?
McLaren had the worst possible start to the 2023 season. It was so miserable that they failed to take a single point in the first two races. Before the Austrian GP, they only claimed 17 points altogether.
However, a miracle happened after the Austrian GP. Courtesy of their B-spec car upgrades, the McLaren duo claimed a staggering 285 points till the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi. They went from P10 at the end of two races and finished the season in P4 after Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
As for Norris, he was the dominant force in the team in the initial phase, thanks to the team’s priority to give him the developed car at first. However, once Piastri got the same car, the Australian driver began to close in.
In the end, Oscar Piastri took a Sprint win, that too against Max Verstappen. Whereas Lando Norris is still to register a win, let alone a GP win. As things stand, the 22-year-old is indeed a very alarming threat to Norris’ supremacy in the Woking-based team.
