Lando Norris stormed to victory at the Monaco GP, fending off home hero Charles Leclerc and his own teammate Oscar Piastri. With a lack of overtaking, Norris won the race on Saturday, and after leading into turn 1, he controlled the race well. Despite late pressure, Leclerc couldn’t find a way past the Brit.
This result leaves the McLaren duo separated by just three points, with Piastri leading the way. However, the momentum is shifting towards Norris after he beat his Australian teammate in the last two races. Norris now claims he needs to find consistency to challenge for the top honour.
Lando Norris needs “consistency” to challenge Oscar Piastri
Lando Norris has closed the gap significantly to his teammate after the Brit had a couple of difficult weekends. He struggled during qualifying at the Bahrain GP and didn’t stand on the podium for the first time in Saudi Arabia. However, once the European leg began, Norris struck back.
After winning in Monaco, Norris says there is no reason to doubt himself. Speaking to F1TV, he said: “Yesterday was a big day for me — probably almost bigger than today.”
P1 BABY 🏆#McLaren | #M7AReborn | #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 pic.twitter.com/soMctWMBoq
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 25, 2025
“Of course, I need consistency in order to back things up, even if I look at things one weekend at a time. But I think this weekend I proved to myself that I’ve got everything I need. Now it’s just about repetition, about consistency — that’s the next key. And yeah, after this weekend, there’s no reason why I should doubt myself.”
Norris looks to be in the right headspace after the difficult spell in the Middle East. After a disappointing qualifying session, Norris suggested something “wasn’t clicking“. Norris then lost the championship lead in Saudi Arabia and claimed his perfectionism was hindering him. However, Norris looks up for the title fight after winning his second race of the season.
Is the pressure on Oscar Piastri?
Lando Norris is now building momentum to challenge his teammate after landing another blow to Piastri. Piastri has finished third in the last two races and lost points to Norris. The gap has closed to just three points heading into Barcelona, a track where Norris excelled last season.
Piastri and Norris are yet to fight each other on equal terms this season. However, we got a glimpse at the Italian GP when Piastri pulled a hard move on Norris, costing the Brit a chance of winning the race. Both drivers adhere to ‘papaya rules’ where they are free to race hard but fair. But with a championship on the line, will they?
Helmut Marko Sees Oscar Piastri as a Threat but Questions His Consistency
We have seen many times championship rivals who are teammates clash. The most famous was when Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna clashed twice in Japan, with each winning a championship because of the outcome. More recently, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fought each other hard for three seasons and often came to blows.
This could be the best chance for Norris or Piastri to win the championship. Max Verstappen is 25 points behind but is still a threat. However, the McLaren duo are each other’s biggest rivals. Piastri currently leads, but will the 24-year-old, who never looks flustered, keep it together to become the third Australian world champion?
