So far, the world championship battle has mainly been an internal McLaren affair, with Verstappen lurking as the third threat. For now, the coexistence between drivers remains peaceful, but the season is still long. Oscar Piastri assured that the matter has already been addressed internally and that they will not let McLaren’s structure collapse for the sake of personal ambition.
Up to now, the championship fight has essentially been a McLaren-internal matter, with Max Verstappen acting as the third wheel, watching closely and ready to take advantage — more closely than Woking would like — as the only driver so far able to snatch a win away from the British team.
The upcoming races may not be decisive for the title, but it’s clear that what happens between now and the summer break will weigh heavily on how the championship unfolds and the momentum heading into the second half of the season.
In the last two weekends, there have been more shadows than highlights for Oscar Piastri — a paradox for a driver who has still always finished on the podium and remains at the top of the championship standings. The pole position at Imola was not enough: the overtake by Max Verstappen at the first corner, combined with an ineffective strategy, prevented him from converting that advantage.
This was followed by a weekend in Monte Carlo where he never shone, partly due to some “nervousness” from his MCL39: two results that demand a prompt response against Norris, as it’s only logical that such dynamics will evolve into a point-by-point battle.
“There have been weekends where I was a bit quicker, others where Lando was a bit quicker, but those weren’t necessarily the weekends where we were fighting each other. There’s a lot more than just outright pace. I think there will be highs and lows throughout the season, but I’m confident,” said Piastri, suggesting he clearly understood what went wrong in Monaco.
“Obviously there are small strengths and weaknesses, but even those don’t always carry over from one track to another. You know, one weekend I might be a bit quicker in high-speed corners, the next weekend it could be Lando. So, it’s really, really evenly matched between us. I think we have very similar strengths and weaknesses, and I expect that to stay that way.”
Last year, at a certain point in the season, Norris was clearly in a stronger position, which led McLaren — albeit belatedly — to back him in the title chase, likely to preserve a still-stable internal balance. This year the situation is different, but Piastri explained that this was a subject discussed even before the season began.
“I think at the start of the year we knew it would be impossible to have a personal goal perfectly aligned with the team’s goal. And it’s something we both talked about openly, and something the team is fully aware of,” Piastri said ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
“Because at the end of last year, we told ourselves that if we entered this season with a strong car like the one we ended 2024 with, we would end up in this situation. I think we’ve done a very good job of being open and discussing it. But we’ll never do anything unsporting or that puts the team or ourselves in a bad light. It’s not in our character — neither mine nor Lando’s.”
There’s been frequent talk about how McLaren may have to make a choice before the end of the year, in a context where Max Verstappen remains a threat. But for now, the Woking team seems intent on maintaining equal treatment between its drivers — even if it means losing a few points, as seen in Suzuka.
At McLaren, the so-called “papaya rules” are in effect, which establish clear limits on internal racing conduct: “Obviously we want to race each other every weekend, but we’ll never cross that line where irreversible damage might be caused. I’ve said it many times: we’re not just looking for a one-off opportunity.”
“We’ll both be at McLaren for a long time after this year too, and we want to fight for the title every season. I believe we’ve both understood that it’s unwise to try to win one championship and tear everything down in the attempt.”
“I think once it’s mathematically impossible [for one of us to win the title], then team orders will probably come into play. But no, I think we both want to win or at least fight for the championship. Of course, if later in the year it becomes truly impossible or very close to it, then maybe things will change. But I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.”
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