Mistakes Will Decide the Champion – Norris Warns as McLaren Civil War Heats Up
Lando Norris believes the 2025 Formula 1 world championship will ultimately be decided by which contender manages to avoid mistakes more consistently throughout the remainder of the season. As the title battle intensifies, Norris finds himself trailing McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri by 16 points ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, following Piastri’s dominant win at Spa-Francorchamps.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Norris emphasized the importance of qualifying and making the most of race starts, particularly Turn One. “It’s just who qualifies first and second more often. And you kind of just hold on in Turn One and then go from there,” he said. “There haven’t been many races where you can fight back through the field, so it’s about who makes the least mistakes when starting up front.”
Norris, who has taken four wins to Piastri’s six this season, started on pole at Spa but was overtaken by his team-mate on the opening lap. Reflecting on that, Norris admitted there were small areas he could have improved but downplayed the impact. He cited battery deployment settings that inadvertently gave Piastri an edge off the line. “I didn’t have the best run and the battery settings didn’t help. I also didn’t nail the first two corners. Even if I had, with the battery difference, he probably would’ve got past anyway,” Norris acknowledged.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, currently 81 points adrift of Piastri, remains a mathematical contender. Norris said he wouldn’t rule out the Dutchman, calling him “one of the best drivers ever in Formula 1,” but maintained confidence in McLaren’s pace and reliability this year.
Mercedes driver George Russell offered his perspective, praising both McLaren drivers. He noted Piastri’s calm and consistent performances, describing him as someone who “doesn’t get flustered and just delivers reliably.” Russell contrasted that with Norris’s raw speed, suggesting that while Lando is quick, Piastri’s execution has been more consistent this season.
Russell also highlighted how quickly momentum can shift in the sport, pointing to the penalty Piastri received at Silverstone that handed the win to Norris. “It’s been very close,” he said. “Oscar’s stepped up, but you can’t count out Lando either. They’re both in this for the long haul.”
With both McLaren drivers delivering standout performances and Red Bull not yet out of the picture, the title race is shaping up to be a test of precision, nerves, and consistency.
