Formula 1 News: Norris, Piastri’s ‘top driver’ status questioned

(GMM) Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers has questioned whether McLaren’s title-contending pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris (both pictured) truly belong among the sport’s elite, suggesting both are still short of the “absolute top” level.

Speaking to De Telegraaf, the Dutch pundit said he ranks Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc as the standout drivers in F1 right now – leaving McLaren’s duo outside that bracket.

“In my opinion, three drivers stand out right now: Verstappen, Russell, and Leclerc,” Albers said. “That’s not to say Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are bad drivers. But they’re not the absolute top.”

Albers also said Piastri’s reputation for composure is exaggerated.

“People say he’s so cool, but that mainly refers to his demeanor,” he commented. “He had two crashes in Baku, plus a false start, and in Singapore he didn’t show anything special either.”

He also criticized Norris for inconsistency under pressure. “A clear pattern emerges over many weekends,” Albers explained.

“He often starts well, but then regularly loses ground. This is especially evident in qualifying – when Verstappen sets a good lap in Q3, Norris gets nervous and makes mistakes.”

The former Minardi and Spyker driver also turned his criticism toward McLaren itself. “Operationally, quite a few things are going wrong there,” he said.

“And in my opinion, the drivers aren’t getting the maximum out of it either.”