Norris takes the heat as Piastri ramps up the pressure

04/12/2025 05:21 PM

Rival Formula 1 teams are really good at trying to increase expectations on each other, particularly when there is a car with an advantage.

After it was Red Bull for so long, McLaren has become that team over the past six months, and certainly this year after standing out as the likely frontrunner as early as pre-season testing.

That testing took place at the Bahrain International Circuit, so the strong showing in February naturally led to increased expectations of a McLaren victory this weekend at the same venue. And there was little to dispel that impression in the practice sessions as McLaren topped all three, showing particularly strong pace in FP3.

But the beauty of Bahrain is how little representative running there is, with FP1 and FP3 taking place in extremely high temperatures compared to the floodlit track time for qualifying and the race itself. While the margin the McLarens had in FP3 did not translate into the same gap in qualifying, Oscar Piastri's advantage over Lando Norris did.

"I'm very happy," the Australian said after securing his second pole position in three races. "I think the car all weekend has been in a good place. Maybe not in FP1 — but I don’t think anyone’s car was very good in FP1.

"Since then I’ve felt very comfortable. This morning, given the track conditions, it was a pretty solid performance and the car was very similar this afternoon, so I’m very, very happy with the job we’ve done. I’m proud of the job that I’ve done. I feel like I’ve put in a lot of good laps when I needed to and to come away with pole is obviously very nice.

"I think the performance we had in FP3 was even a mystery to us and we knew everyone would get a lot closer. It’s been kind of up and down for everybody. One session seems to be Charles that’s challenging us, then George . Max was quick at certain points…

"It sort of seemed like everyone was peaking at different times. Still had to be on my toes because a tenth and a half was a bit closer than I expected after this morning, definitely."

After the FP3 performance — when Piastri was 0.6s clear of Norris, who had aborted his first qualifying simulation after an error — there were impressed faces in the McLaren team. Piastri's step forward over one lap in particular has not gone unnoticed, and there was a growing feeling that Norris had — understandably — been focusing more on Verstappen in recent months and would now have to turn more of his attention to his teammate.

With Piastri delivering on Saturday while the car offered such potential, it was Norris who didn't handle the metaphorical heat put on by the Australian.

"It was just every lap, honestly — I’ve been off every lap this weekend, just not comfortable," Norris said. "No big complaints — the car’s amazing. The car’s as good as it has been the whole season, which is strong. I’ve been off it all weekend. Don’t know why, just clueless on track at the minute. I just need a big reset or something.

"I don’t know , because Oscar’s doing a great job, so I can’t complain. I’m not going to have the excuse that I can’t drive my car. It’s my job to drive whatever car I’ve got, whether it’s easy or hard. And I’m not doing a good-enough job.

"I’m not comfortable. It doesn’t drive the way I like, but that’s not an excuse. The driver’s job is to drive whatever car they’re given, and I can’t drive this car quick enough."

While the pressure has so far been ramped up by McLaren's rivals, Norris — who is often harsh on himself — even adds a bit more on his own shoulders by talking up how good his machinery is.

"I just don’t know how to approach it. I can’t figure it out,” he admitted. “Every time I try something, it’s good for one session and then it’s the wrong thing for the next session, because the winds change. I just can’t flow with the car, and when I can’t flow, I’m not very quick.

"I’ve just got to work on myself. I can’t follow the team, and the car is the best by a long way. But clearly, I’m just not clicking at the minute."

The insistence from Norris is that he's not concerned about Piastri's performance in the context of the drivers' championship, but similar comments were made when he was asked about Verstappen and the title picture at times last year. While Norris dismissed it then, he later admitted how he'd been buying into the growing momentum and took the turnaround in Brazil particularly hard.

"Couldn’t care less. Like I said, I care about myself. I don’t care about what the others do,” he said. “I’ve always known Oscar’s good — he’s quick and he’s doing the job I know he can achieve with the car that we’ve got. So, yeah, well done to him. But I’m more worried about my own performance than others. I don’t care about the rest of it."

Last year, Norris starting consistently providing answers to doubters as he started winning races and taking regular pole positions, but he is clearly not high on confidence at this point in the season. Sunday provides him with a chance to answer back once again, but it's now against a teammate who is looking increasingly capable of putting together a full championship challenge.