Formula 1 News: Piastri ‘more solid’ than Norris in title duel

(GMM) Former F1 driver David Coulthard has weighed in on the only real championship battle left in 2025 – the intra-McLaren duel between Oscar Piastri (pictured) and Lando Norris.

Norris’ mechanical retirement at Zandvoort blew the gap out to 34 points, leaving Piastri – cool, calm, and less experienced – as the new favourite.

“Lando is in his seventh season and Oscar in his third, and yet it seems that Norris is still searching for himself, learning to know himself,” Coulthard told Belgian broadcaster RTBF at Monza.

“Whereas from this point of view, Oscar Piastri immediately seems very solid and consistent. This is undoubtedly the biggest difference between them.”

Norris, for his part, is always fending off suggestions he is mentally weaker. “He said before that he looked up to Verstappen as a role model,” Coulthard explained. “That’s what he wants to be like because Max is very incisive, aggressive, and very confident outside of the car.

“But you can’t be someone you’re not. You’re shaped by your environment, your upbringing, your experiences.

“I remember when I was fighting against Schumacher, people criticized me for being too nice. But you can’t not be authentic. This isn’t a championship of personalities. This is a championship that’s decided on the track,” said the Scot.

Coulthard expects McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ to remain in force until the team mathematically secures the constructors’ crown, and locking out third place in the drivers’ standings could be another big milestone.

“The key to the championship will be when McLaren wins the constructors’ title,” he continued. “We understand that this is the priority, and that’s why we see these famous rules. It’s financially crucial for them to win this crown again.

“And my opinion is that as soon as they have sealed this title, and this could already be the case in Baku, the drivers will be able to play their personal cards for the drivers’ championship.

“In the meantime, neither of them can afford a mistake or zero points. In a case like this, it doesn’t matter if he wins the race or not – it is absolutely essential to finish at least second or third. If one of them makes a mistake, it could represent a definitive turning point in the championship.”