‘It’s Tough for Lando’: As Ruthless Reality Begins to Set In, Norris’ “Psyche” Becomes Biggest Challenge

Lando Norris has been with McLaren since 2019. He was a promising talent and a future hope for the Woking Outfit. Proving to be an exceptional scout during his earlier years against and with Carlos Sainz Jr., Norris seems to be fading. Watching your teammate win a race before you do, would be enough for anyone to go into a downward spiral. Unfortunately, Norris has been suffering from this fate since the Qatar Grand Prix.

This season has particularly seen a number of drivers crumble due to their better-performing teammates. Carlos Sainz,  supposedly the number 2 driver for Ferrari, took their only win. He has been consistently better than Charles Leclerc in terms of race pace and control. A similar story is being played at the Mercedes with the ongoing Russell-Hamilton rivalry. However, with the latest McLaren upgrades, the plague of crumbling drivers has reached the Woking-based outfit, with Norris facing the brunt.

Lando Norris is experiencing a heartbreak at McLaren

Norris was signed by McLaren as a rising star and a rookie with a promising future. However, despite his up-to-par performance at the outfit, he remains the only McLaren driver to have not won a single race since 2021. Daniel Ricciardo who replaced Carlos Sainz, took a maiden win for the outfit at Monza in 2021. Now it is Oscar Piastri repeating history. A rookie by all means in F1, he scored McLaren’s first win since 2022 in a sprint race. In a post-race interview, Norris opened up with, “First win, earlier than mine.” His words were laced with heartbreak and disappointment in himself.

On the F1 Nation podcast, Tom Clarkson and Sam Power discussed this new challenge for Norris. “Yeah it’s hard for Lando,” said Power, adding further about Piastri, “This guy’s just come into the car, a rookie in the season and he’s less than a tenth away from me at multiple grand prix. That’s gonna play on the psyche.”

Norris started P2 for the sprint and ended in P3 behind Verstappen. For Sunday, he started in P10 despite putting in good lap times. The track limits played antagonists for both McLaren drivers. He opened up about his mistakes on track and confessed that he believed he could and deserved to be on the pole if not for his carelessness.

However, all is not heartbreak for Lando Norris. He has scored the most podiums in his Formula 1 career since his debut. Norris managed a P2 in Singapore Grand Prix and Japanese Grand Prix, and a P3 in Qatar. Although both McLaren drivers are extremely talented, the 22-year-old Australian has been setting the paddock on fire lately.

READ MORE: “This Will Really Hurt Him”: Caution Raised for Zak Brown & Co. As Lando Norris Faces Trial by Fire

Oscar Piastri – one of the greatest talents in Formula 1?

Oscar Piastri has been widely known for the Alpine-McLaren fiasco. However, attributing his rise to stardom to drama wouldn’t do justice to the phenomenal driver that he is. The 22-year-old Australian has had a remarkable junior career. He mastered his driving skills as he powered through one championship after the other. Formula Renault champion, F3 champion, F2 champion, Piastri climbed the hierarchy ladder of motorsports as fast as he raced.

He was the kid on the block, that two major teams wanted for the 2023 season. Ultimately, Piastri sided with the legacy of McLaren against Alpine. However, at the start of the year, the British Outfit accepted that their car development was extremely slow. The outfit failed to score points in the first few races of the season, reflecting their development mistakes, and halting Piastri’s quick rise. But things made a 180-degree turn-around after the upgraded McLaren.

During the sprint race, Piastri successfully converted his pole into his first Formula 1 win after holding himself against the Redbull of Max Verstappen who started P2. Piastri’s performance has been commendable in the past few races. He climbed the podium steps for the first in Suzuka followed by a second in the Sunday Grand Prix proving that he deserves a championship-winning car.

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With just a year in Formula 1, Oscar Piastri has a long way to go. The young Australian is slowly opening up on the grid. However, with more upgrades next season, his adapting and improving performance, Lando Norris has to switch up his gears to avoid a slow and painful exit from the main stage.