Norris VS Piastri: Formula 1’s Deserving Champion

Nada Nour, staff writer

Formula 1 is more than just fast cars and luxurious circuits; it's a test of accuracy, endurance and mental strength. A single mistake can cost one's life and the lives of others. Racing from country to country, drivers rarely take a break. To them, it's all worthwhile if it means an opportunity to win the World Drivers Championship (WDC): the ultimate goal for any young driver. Winning it means mastering not only the track, but the media, the mind games and the eyes peeking in at every aspect of their life. In 2025, the spotlight is on two McLaren teammates: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Both are competing for their first title, but only one can take home the trophy, and it will be Oscar Piastri. 

Lando Norris, a charming young driver from the heart of the U.K., has won the hearts of many. Since his debut in 2019, Norris has earned nine wins, 13 poles (qualifying wins) and a whopping 39 podiums, proving that he can be WDC winner in the near future. In fact, in 2024 he placed runner up to Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion and the current holder of the WDC. Additionally, he has consistently proven that he can maximize points and secure podium finishes even when McLaren was considered an underdog on track. Not to mention his incredible ability to manage his tires, which is crucial in maintaining and overtaking spots in a race. 

“Lando is overall better than Oscar, especially considering his history with Mclaren and his consistent pace recently,” said senior Laney Cihla. 

While Norris’ technique is undeniably good, he tends to crack under pressure. A habit that is detrimental when it comes to winning the WDC. During the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, while he was trying to overtake his teammate Piastri, Norris largely misjudged the gap under pressure causing a large accident and his inability to finish the race. This was considered unacceptable for a driver with his experience and skill, leading many to conclude that he doesn’t have the mental strength to compete in the battle with Piastri. 

Oscar Piastri, a twenty-four-year-old Australian, is the only driver to ever win Formula Renault, Formula 3 and Formula 2. After debuting in 2023, Piastri was often dismissed as just “Lando’s teammate,” and was considered McLarens second driver. However, this was somewhat true during his first two years in F1 as he was considerably behind Lando in the standings. This year though, his almost perfect precision has led him to become WDC leader for over five months straight. Now, Piastri is over 25 points ahead of Lando and considering the winner of a Grand Prix gains 25 points, Lando needs to be almost perfect in the upcoming Grand Prix to surpass him. In addition, Oscar has an incredible ability to stay calm under pressure. With seven wins to his name in less than three years, he has already surpassed Lando by two full wins. But by far the best quality Oscar has is his calm and decisive moves, leading to an almost zero error rate.  

Lando has the experience and aggression, but Oscar has the mentality and technique. When it comes to the finale, technique and mentality always win. The almost perfect finish record and the clean overtakes are a few of the many qualities that I believe will make Oscar Piastri the next Formula 1 champion. It’s possible that Lando could close the large margin, but to win he must overcome the mental fragility that has affected him so much this season.