Lewis Hamilton has highlighted the immense pressure faced by McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as they contend not only with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but also with each other in the fight for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. McLaren has fulfilled pre-season expectations by leading both the Constructors’ Championship and holding the top two positions in the Drivers’ standings, making the clash between the teammates increasingly significant.
Despite Lando Norris initially being tipped as McLaren’s lead challenger against Verstappen and the dominant Red Bull team, it is his teammate Oscar Piastri who currently leads the drivers’ ranking, holding a 13-point advantage over Norris with several races still to go.
Comparing Piastri and Norris in the 2025 season
Through the season so far, Piastri has outperformed Norris across key metrics, securing four Grand Prix victories compared to one for Norris, and achieving three pole positions against Norris’ single pole. However, Norris has earned a Sprint race win, a feat Piastri has yet to claim this year. Both drivers have experienced setbacks, with Piastri having incidents off the track during the Australian Grand Prix and a delayed response to Verstappen’s advances at Imola.
Norris has acknowledged imperfections in his qualifying efforts, especially in the final Q3 laps, and both drivers have made costly mistakes during races and Sprint events. Despite these challenges, Hamilton, a seven-time World Champion and former McLaren driver himself, has expressed admiration for their performances while emphasizing the extraordinary mental strain they endure.
Hamilton reflects on the pressures facing McLaren’s leading drivers
Reflecting on the situation, Hamilton said,
“It’s amazing to see McLaren doing so well, because that’s where I started.”
He continued,
“And also to see them so close, him and Lando, just these two great drivers. The pressure on both of them will be unimaginable, I would say, for most people that are not experiencing it or have not experienced it.”
He praised Piastri’s consistency by stating,
“We’ve seen both, and obviously particularly Piastri, doing a great, great job, weekend in, weekend out, delivering in qualifying and doing everything you need to do to win a World Championship.”
Piastri aims for a historic Monaco Grand Prix victory
The upcoming Monaco Grand Prix poses a historic opportunity for Oscar Piastri, who hopes to become only the fourth Australian to win the prestigious street race. The previous Australian winners are Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, and Mark Webber. British drivers have seen more recent success in Monaco, with Hamilton himself winning the race in 2010.
Expressing his thoughts on the prospect, Piastri said,
“It would be very cool, but I would more want to win it for myself and for the points, in all honesty. So, yeah, would be, would be special to do, obviously.”
New regulations add complexity to the Monaco race strategy
The 2025 Monaco GP introduces a mandatory two-stop rule unveiled by the FIA in an effort to increase race excitement following last year’s processional contest. This new regulation demands more frequent pit stops, complicating tire strategy and forcing drivers to adapt to unpredictable circumstances.
Piastri acknowledged the challenges that come with the regulation changes but stressed the importance of starting strong in qualifying. He explained,
“I still think 90 something percent about Monaco is qualifying. I think it’s very complicated now with these two stops, also just using three sets of tyres because if there are red flags like we saw last year, it’s not quite as simple as what it was.”
The Australian driver added,
“So it’s definitely going to throw a spanner in the works for everyone. But I think if you qualify on pole, unless something goes dramatically wrong, still it’s going to be hard to be beaten.”
Regarding race dynamics, Piastri said,
“So I think you can roll the dice a bit more, but there’s a lot of strategic elements involved. Will it increase overtaking? No, but it will probably lead to a more complicated race.”
What lies ahead for McLaren’s title contenders
As the season advances, the rivalry between Piastri and Norris under the weight of such pressure will remain a captivating focal point in F1. Their battle not only represents the quest for individual glory but also embodies McLaren’s resurgence as a leading team against the dominant Red Bull outfit.
With Hamilton’s warnings about the psychological strain and the fresh complications introduced by new regulations, both drivers will need to maintain their composure and tactical sharpness through pivotal races like Monaco. The unfolding championship could hinge on how well they handle this “unimaginable” pressure amid an intensifying challenge from Verstappen.
