McLaren’s Lando Norris has admitted that team-mate Oscar Piastri has pushed him “an excessive amount of for my liking”, crediting their fierce intra-team rivalry as a key consider his ongoing improvement as a Method 1 driver.
Talking throughout an look on the Goodwood Pageant of Velocity earlier this month, the Briton mirrored on his F1 profession. Having debuted alongside Carlos Sainz at McLaren earlier than partnering Daniel Ricciardo, Norris is now in his third consecutive season alongside Piastri.
“From Carlos my first few years, Daniel my second bunch of years, and now Oscar, you be taught probably the most from these guys, and I’ve additionally loved simply spending time with all of them as a result of they’re wonderful individuals,” the 2025 champion defined.
“To be with Carlos, to be with Daniel, I loved these years a lot, after which clearly the final three with Oscar. He is pushed me an insane quantity, an excessive amount of for my liking.
“However that is what you want in F1; it is what you need. It made me a a lot better driver, final 12 months particularly. Rivalry is the important thing to changing into a greater individual on the similar time.”
Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
The 2025 season featured an intense battle between the 2 McLaren team-mates, as every fought for a maiden drivers’ championship. Within the second half of the season, Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen mounted a powerful comeback that threatened each Norris and Piastri.
The struggle went all the way down to the wire on the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and it was finally Norris who claimed the title. He completed two factors away from runner-up Verstappen, whereas Piastri completed third.
Sadly for the Woking outfit, McLaren has not carried its 2025 kind into the 2026 season. Norris received the latest Hungarian Grand Prix, securing the primary grand prix victory of the 12 months for each himself and the crew. Heading into the summer season break, Norris sits fifth within the standings with 128 factors and Piastri is seventh with 92 factors. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli leads with 219 factors.
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