The Formula Medicine mental coach touches on a fascinating topic: among drivers and F1 insiders, Oscar Piastri is often seen as the favorite over world champion Lando Norris for 2026, should McLaren remain in contention for both titles. Why is Lando underestimated compared to the performance he shows on track? Here are some insights.
McLaren has already confirmed that it will return for the 2026 championship under the ‘papaya rules’, confident that its driver pair can face another season on equal terms. But is this still possible now that one of them is a world champion? We asked Riccardo Ceccarelli, the Viareggio-based sports physician and mental coach, and his analysis reveals some interesting points worth exploring.
“Well, my sense is that it remains to be seen whether, after all these regulation changes, McLaren will still be fighting for the title with both drivers. There’s a chance Mercedes might strike, as rumours suggest the Star team’s power unit could be the most powerful, and Toto Wolff’s squad may make the expected leap in quality,” Riccardo Ceccarelli explains.
“In a scenario like 2025, I think we would see a slightly frustrated Oscar Piastri and a more confident, calm Lando Norris, meaning the McLaren drivers could have completely different mental states.”
Who benefits from this perception?
“The impression, and I emphasize this is not based on evidence, is that many felt Oscar Piastri was somewhat sidelined at the end of the championship. I was surprised that, after speaking with several drivers, former drivers, and insiders, there seems to be a shared view that Oscar Piastri has something extra over Norris. For me, this is odd, because they seem to rate him higher in raw talent and mental capacity, as if Piastri’s ‘package’ is somehow more winning than Norris’.”
Even though the world title went to the Englishman with full merit…
“I don’t dispute that. I’m just reporting the sentiment I’ve noticed in the paddock. I must admit it leaves me puzzled: Norris has always proven he is not inferior to any teammate he’s faced. The results show he was ahead, and even Oscar Piastri, as a rookie in his first year and a half, struggled to match Norris’ performance in both races and qualifying. It surprises me that Norris, an undisputedly talented driver, remains somewhat underrated despite winning the championship, as if he were incomplete despite his title.”
Why does this perception exist?
“I worked three years with McLaren, and in my view, Norris fully deserved the championship. I wonder if this perception comes from the fact that Lando is a ‘good guy’. Psychologically, it’s hard for some to associate a Formula 1 champion with a smiling, polite, respectful young man.”
We can extend this idea to MotoGP and Pecco Bagnaia?
“Certainly. Despite winning two world titles with Ducati, he hasn’t reached superstar status. I believe being the ‘nice guy’ slightly obscures the public’s perception of him. We all expect winning riders to be aggressive on track, willing to make contact, argumentative, sometimes even ‘tough’. The hard driver earns extra points beyond performance, while the nice one pays a price.”
But Piastri did have a series of races where his performance lagged behind Norris…
“True, and here I go a bit against the trend. Some argue Oscar Piastri struggled in the latter part of the season, as had happened the previous year. It’s as if Oscar struggles on circuits with slow corners, while feeling at ease on faster tracks.”
Is this a technical issue, or is it fatigue from a long 24-race calendar? We expect these men in helmets to perform the same from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi…
“This is another important point, and drivers are becoming more aware of it. In other sports, long seasons have highlighted that mental fatigue leads athletes to be heavier, slower, and less effective by the end. This isn’t about mental blocks or anxiety, but actual physical and cognitive fatigue.”
Consider tennis player Jannik Sinner, criticized for skipping the Davis Cup to rest…
“I was with him during recent tournaments, and he was indeed tired, like a slightly deflated tire. He still performs brilliantly, as in Vienna and Paris, but he was not at peak form. Also, his opponents were likely not at their best either.”
“Drivers are accepting the idea that they cannot always be 100%. Even with a top car, it’s difficult to know if the missing fractions of a second are due to the car or the driver.”
Managing energy and focus
“Today, there’s more awareness. Drivers admit to being very tired by race day. This happens in MotoGP as well. Long seasons consume energy, which is why teams now focus on energy management and creating a calm environment around drivers. Andrea Stella at McLaren has created a sort of protective bubble around Lando and Oscar.”
How is this managed?
“Through scientific studies: measuring metabolism, brain energy, and biometric parameters to get objective feedback. Sometimes a drop in efficiency is observed: energy expenditure rises, output drops. Drivers need to manage their energy across the race weekend, sacrificing some activity Friday and Saturday. Energy is like money: once spent, you can’t ‘buy’ what you could before.”
McLaren’s driver pair in 2026
“It will be a fierce battle because Piastri enjoys high regard in the paddock, while Norris is slightly underrated, even though he is the world champion. It will be an open fight, provided McLaren remains a contender.”
Riccardo Ceccarelli’s thoughtful analysis highlights how perception can lag behind reality in F1, where personality traits sometimes shape opinions as much as lap times. As the grid prepares for the 2026 reset, the McLaren duo’s internal dynamic could prove one of the most intriguing storylines.
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