Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris could be facing the one and only opportunity of their Formula 1 careers to win a world championship, according to former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya.
Piastri and Norris already close to contact
The races leading into Formula 1’s summer break have confirmed McLaren’s superiority and offered a glimpse of what fans can expect once the championship resumes at Zandvoort. Unless an unlikely scenario unfolds, the title battle looks set to become an all-McLaren affair, fought entirely in papaya orange, between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The two drivers are separated by just nine points in the standings, and both are desperate to secure the first world championship of their respective careers. To achieve this, they will have to fight each other as team-mates, with no room left for politeness or courtesy on track.
The tension has already been visible. At the Austrian Grand Prix, Piastri and Norris clashed in wheel-to-wheel combat at Turn 4. Piastri locked up his right-front tyre and came dangerously close to hitting the rear of his team-mate’s car. The duel was hard-fought but remained within reasonable limits, showcasing the maturity of both young drivers. However, things nearly went over the edge in Hungary. The championship leader, seemingly frustrated with McLaren’s race strategy, launched a desperate attempt on the penultimate lap to pass his team-mate at Turn 1. Once again, they narrowly avoided contact – but how long can that last?
Juan Pablo Montoya believes the Hungarian Grand Prix underlined that the risk of escalation between the McLaren pair is real and could explode at any moment.
Montoya’s warning
“The reality is that Oscar and Lando might have right now their only chance to become world champions. This creates a bit of tension,” Montoya explained. “They used to get along very well, but look at Oscar: his comments are getting sharper, he is getting agitated. He is trying to stay on track, while Lando is trying to get back in the fight.”
The Colombian, who won seven Formula 1 races in his career and knows what it takes to handle pressure at the top level, stressed that nothing is guaranteed for McLaren in the future. “Nobody can guarantee that McLaren will have the best car next year,” he continued. “There is a new set of regulations coming. It could happen that McLaren dominates everything, but it could also happen that next year they are struggling to even make it into the top ten.”
Montoya’s words highlight just how high the stakes are for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in this year’s championship battle. Both drivers are not only fighting for their maiden world title, but perhaps for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may never come again if the regulations reshuffle the competitive order in 2026.
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