Zak Brown on Oscar Piastri vs Lando Norris: “It’s only a matter of time before things heat up”. McLaren CEO Zak Brown predicts a future clash between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

The battle within McLaren
With his victory in Jeddah, Oscar Piastri has taken the lead in the championship and perhaps even in McLaren’s internal hierarchy over Lando Norris. The #81 driver has become the first Australian to lead the World Championship since his manager Mark Webber, and he’ll surely want to stay on top after the next race in Miami.

Heading to Florida, Oscar Piastri is the favorite — and this might be the first time the 2001-born driver begins a race weekend with such credentials. We’ll see if he can handle that pressure, something Norris continues to struggle with.

Zak Brown’s words
The duel between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris is set to define the 2025 season, and McLaren CEO Zak Brown is convinced of it. According to the Californian, it’s not a question of “if,” but of “when” the two will have a serious on-track clash — a scenario so far avoided thanks to the “papaya rules”:
“We know it’s more about ‘when’ than ‘if’. We’ve got two great drivers racing hard, and something will happen — but that’s racing, so I’m excited.”

Zak Brown was impressed by how composed Oscar Piastri remained in Jeddah, holding his own at the start against Max Verstappen: “I think he’ll keep getting stronger. He and Lando are both our number ones. I think they’re evenly matched and they push each other hard but fairly. We haven’t seen an epic battle between them yet — but I believe that day is coming, and I can’t wait. Everyone’s waiting for the big moment.” – the McLaren boss concluded.