Talk of Lando Norris being McLaren’s number one driver was rampant throughout the 2024 season, especially because of the fight he put up in pursuit of Max Verstappen’s crown. And while the team did not give him that tag until late into the season, Zak Brown claimed that the Briton had the potential to take Verstappen down.
Norris didn’t do that. He fell short, perhaps because of McLaren not fully prioritizing his results in the beginning. But season 7 of Drive to Survive showed how Brown believed F1 could soon enter a dominant Norris era. Oscar Piastri — from the other side of the McLaren garage — will definitely have something to say about that.
In just two seasons, the Melbourne-born driver has established himself as one of the grid’s best, winning two Grands Prix in 2024. McLaren’s faith in him was clear, evidenced by the contract extension announced on Wednesday, securing his future with the team until at least 2028.
However, the ‘Norris-era’ comments made by the McLaren CEO lingered, which is why a Viaplay journalist decided to tap that nerve in the Australian GP press conference. Piastri had a perfect response.
He began by taking a dig at Drive to Survive, revealing how he didn’t watch the new season yet. “There’s a lot of things in Drive to Survive you never quite know how it’s been cut up,” he said.
Piastri then dodged the question about Brown‘s perception of Norris by expressing confidence in his own abilities. “I am very confident in what I can do myself. We are going into the season starting from zero for both of us.”
Oscar Piastri has full confidence for the 2025 season pic.twitter.com/li7aIhF3TB
— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) February 13, 2025
The new contract Piastri signed puts him on the same salary as Norris, making it unlikely that McLaren sees him as a long-term number two. The situation was different in 2024 because Norris had a shot at the title. If Piastri makes a push this season, the roles could very well be reversed.
Norris is still the favorite to win in 2025, according to most. However, Piastri will certainly not sit back as his wingman.
The Aussie is confident about fighting for the championship, just like his more experienced teammate. “We are both obviously going to be trying to fight for the world championship, hopefully,” the 23-year-old concluded.
Can Piastri be a thorn in Norris’ side?
Last year, McLaren faced a tough call, ultimately putting all their eggs in Norris’ basket toward the end of the campaign — even though he wasn’t consistently winning races despite having the fastest car.
Initially, the team intended to stick to their ‘papaya rules’ approach, but it was costing them points in the Constructors’ Championship. Eventually, they swallowed a bitter pill and declared Norris their number one driver.
But even then, Piastri was right there at the front. In fact, in the very next race in Baku after McLaren decided to prioritize Norris, he was knocked out in Q1, while Piastri went on to start on the front row. Immediately, McLaren had to alter their plans, with Norris now helping Piastri secure the win.
Piastri delivered, proving he deserved equal treatment from the team.
That’s what McLaren will have to do this year — at least in the initial stages. And for Piastri, who believes he can be world champion, pulling ahead of Norris in the internal pecking order will require a strong start from the very first race. Fortunately for him, that happens to be his home race — the Australian GP.
