Oscar Piastri opened up about his relationship with teammate Lando Norris amidst the intense fight for the championship this season. Speaking after the Brazil GP, Piastri stated that his relationship with his McLaren colleague has not changed despite the fierce intra-team competition.
Piastri and Norris have been locked in a season-long title battle, with each driver taking the upper hand at different points. However, in recent races, Norris has gained the advantage, currently leading Piastri in the championship standings. With just three race weekends remaining, the stakes are higher than ever as both McLaren drivers aim to clinch their first-ever title.
Amidst circulating talks of a potential strain in their relationship, the Australian driver effectively dismissed such rumors.
Speaking on the recent Beyond The Grid podcast, Oscar Piastri shared his thoughts on his bond with the British driver:
“I think it’s exactly the same, or honestly probably better than it has been. I think better if anything because we now know each other more now — it’s the third year as teammates, and we slowly get to know each other more and more. From that side, you know it’s in a better place than it has been. I think we’re both that kind of people that what happens on track, stays on track. Maybe there’s short-lived emotions off the track, but I think we’re both quite good at just letting things die down, again leaving things on the track.”
He continued,
“So from that side of things, it didn’t change. We try to get the best out of the team, it’s exactly the same, and we still probably want similar things from the team. And I think from the car, we probably have subtle differences. We’ve worked out more and more what each of us likes from the car setup directions, and what our strengths and weaknesses are, but from broad aspects, it’s still the same.”
Currently, Oscar Piastri sits second in the Drivers’ Championship with 366 points after 21 races and five sprint events. His teammate Lando Norris leads the standings with 390 points. Max Verstappen, another title contender, is in third place with 341 points.
Midway through the season, Piastri also spoke about his relationship with Norris ahead of the Dutch GP, emphasizing their strong professional bond:
“The competitive environment is quite different this year, yes, but our relationship is pretty much the same. The way we work together, how we try and help the team, and what we want from the car — it is all the same. I think we’re both very conscious that we want to have success with this team for a long time. That is not lost on either of us.”
In addition to points, Norris holds an edge over Piastri in pole positions and podium finishes. Norris has secured six pole positions and 17 podiums, compared to Piastri’s five poles and 14 podiums.
With 83 points still up for grabs, it will be exciting to see which McLaren driver emerges victorious in Abu Dhabi and claims the championship crown.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-oscar-piastri-reveals-state-lando-norris-relationship-tables-turn-f1-title-fight
