As the Formula One season makes it way to the final few races, the pundits and commentators are all falling over themselves to explain the current situation with Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. With the Constructor’s title long since neatly wrapped up for McLaren, the Driver’s Championship is still very much on the line.
Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen at Zandvoort in 2025.
The internal battle between Piastri and Norris has become a three way fight with Max Verstappen finding winning form and closing the gap to both McLaren drivers.
Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Has Oscar lost his nerve in the title fight? Are McLaren favouring Norris for some internal reason that we’re not aware of? Why has Max Verstappen suddenly found form in the second half of the season? These are the headlines filling up the sports pages, blogs and websites. The truth is: nobody knows.
It is the habit of Formula One to change things for a specific reason and then, apparently, get surprised when other things change as well as a result. This season has an unprecedented 25 Grands Prix. The teams have a budget cap, limited amounts of Power Units, Gear Boxes, Batteries etc. Engines lose power, batteries take longer to recharge. The F1 Chassis will “soften” over the season. The human element is being tested as never before. The Sky Presenters might not have to attend all the races, but the drivers do. We have no idea how much the combination of budget cap, limited equipment and the stretching of the limits of human performance will play out in these final few races.
Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
So, we the viewing public and certainly the commentators, do not know if Oscar Piastri has lost his nerve or if his car has developed unforeseen issues. Has Red Bull and Max Verstappen started emerging from the early season disruption to catch up with McLaren? Did Lando Norris lose his momentum and then regrouped magnificently or is his car just in better shape at this point? With all the data from a very long season, has Lando’s side of the garage gotten better at setting up his car? Is the gap closing because McLaren went all out for the Constructor’s championship, using up resources faster than the other teams?
The fact is that we don’t know. And those who say confidently that McLaren are favouring Norris or that Piastri has lost his nerve are guessing too.
Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Let’s turn off the noise and enjoy the final races as three top class drivers fight it out down to the wire. Isn’t that what we always say we want, after all?
By Clare Topic
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