McLaren’s Lando Norris has addressed former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer‘s recent remarks suggesting luck has played a major role in Norris’s position in the 2025 drivers’ standings. The exchange comes amid a fierce championship fight between Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri, with only nine points separating them as they approach the Dutch Grand Prix.
The ongoing discussion highlights questions about how much fortune has influenced the early part of the season and the driver performances within McLaren’s intense intra-team rivalry.
Palmer Highlights Key Moments Favoring Norris Over Piastri
During a summer break appearance on the F1 Nation podcast, Jolyon Palmer analyzed the close championship contest, asserting that statistically and in terms of driving performance, Oscar Piastri has been superior to Norris so far in 2025. Palmer claimed that if not for fortunate circumstances, Piastri’s lead could have been 61 points instead of just nine.
He cited several incidents where luck appeared to favor Norris, such as the Melbourne race where both McLarens crashed but Piastri lost more points, costing him 16 points on that day. Palmer also mentioned a contentious decision at Silverstone that wasn’t penalized, which influenced Piastri losing a win. Safety car timing at Imola was noted as another unlucky event that resulted in a six-point disadvantage for Piastri.
At Budapest, Palmer acknowledged Norris’s victory but emphasized that it came after Norris overcame a poor start through strategic advantages that Piastri did not receive. He further added that a safety car situation in Miami also worked in Norris’s favor during the sprint race.
“But on pretty much all stats and viewing, Piastri has been the better driver so far. And I looked through and I think that championship lead is nine points – could easily be 61 points but for largely a bit of luck,” —Jolyon Palmer
“So I’m thinking there’s 16 points lost in Melbourne. Both McLarens go skittling off through the gravel. Oscar’s is slightly more than Lando’s, but really, you can’t judge this. And it cost Oscar on the day 16 points.” —Jolyon Palmer
“When you look at all those points lost, even the two points in the Miami sprint, whereas safety car timing cost Oscar the win and gave it to Lando, there’s been a lot of things that have just gone towards Lando in these first 14 races.” —Jolyon Palmer
Norris Acknowledges Luck But Credits Hard Work and Team Effort
Responding at the Dutch Grand Prix press conference, Norris accepted that luck has played some role but emphasized that he has also faced setbacks and that the progress he has made is largely due to his own efforts and those of his team. He pointed out his long-term relationship with McLaren as a stabilizing factor in his career growth.
Norris reflected on the challenges of adapting to a more difficult car this season and stressed that improving his performance required significant dedication alongside his engineers both on and off the track. He insisted that victories like the one in Budapest were a result of personal improvement rather than mere chance.
Norris also highlighted the importance of making sound decisions and maintaining discipline on the track, which contributed to scoring crucial points throughout the season.
“I would say I have had a little bit of luck here and there, like everyone needs a little bit in their life, but so has probably every other driver at some races here and there. But I’ve also made good decisions, I’ve kept myself out of trouble, stuck by the rules, all of those things are part of being a racing driver and at times they gave me points, so that’s also down to me doing a good job at times.” —Lando Norris
Close McLaren Duel Set to Define Championship Momentum
With Norris and Piastri separated by only nine points after 14 races, every performance and strategic call in the forthcoming rounds will be vital in shaping the championship’s trajectory. The debate over influence of luck versus skill adds tension to this high-stakes battle within McLaren, as both drivers push to assert dominance in a competitive 2025 season.
This rivalry will likely continue to captivate fans and analysts alike, as each race offers opportunities to tip the scales amid the challenges inherent to Formula 1 racing.
