Racing Veteran Predicts Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to Get ‘Fractures’ in Friendship Amid 2025 Title Fight

Racing veteran James Hinchcliffe insisted that cracks will emerge between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri soon.

Racing Veteran Predicts Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to Get ‘Fractures’ in Friendship Amid 2025 Title Fight

Lando Norris (via McLaren), Oscar Piastri (via XPB Images)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are battling one another for the 2025 F1 world title. The two McLaren drivers have a real shot at the championship for the first time in their careers. So far, the relationship between the two has remained harmonious. However, former IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe believes that cracks are soon about to develop.

Since the start of the season, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have had a calm approach to one another. However, in recent weeks, things are starting to change. At Monza, Piastri was not happy when McLaren instructed him to let Norris through due to the latter’s slow pitstop. Moreover, last weekend in Baku, Norris hinted that he was the only McLaren driver constantly facing issues.

James Hinchcliffe pointed out that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were aware that the championship was now in the final stretch. Only 7 races are remaining in the 2025 season. The Australian driver leads his more experienced teammate by 25 points. Thus, the IndyCar star asserted that their relationship will no longer remain a friendly title rivalry. Rather, the bond between Norris and Piastri will develop fractures as the two feel the pressure in the ending stages of the year.

We’re now starting to see those two drivers really appreciating and understanding that we’re on the home stretch of this season. We’re less than a third of the way to go. A first drivers’ championship for either guy is up for grabs. This uncharacteristically friendly title rivalry that we have going on and we’ve seen up to this point, I think it’s going to start to fracture a little bit as the pressure really mounts.

James Hinchcliffe said on F1 Nation podcast

McLaren labels Oscar Piastri’s Azerbaijan GP disaster ‘uncharacteristic’

The Azerbaijan GP was not the best for McLaren. Qualifying was nothing short of a nightmare after Oscar Piastri crashed in Q3. Moreover, Lando Norris didn’t fare better, and finished the session in P7. Piastri’s struggles continued on Sunday when he binned it into the wall at the start of the race. On the other hand, Norris could only bring home six points.

Oscar Piastri (via Getty)
Oscar Piastri (via Getty)

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella admitted that Oscar Piastri’s two crashes were uncharacteristic for the 24-year-old. The Australian driver first jumped the start, before losing control into Turn 5. Stella pointed out that Piastri miscalculated the situation, and his mistakes came as a shock to the team. However, he pointed out that Baku was a difficult track for all drivers.

Certainly the mistakes that Oscar made [were] very uncharacteristic. The false start was kind of the beginning of the end for him and then just frankly, miscalculating it and overcooking it into turn five, ending up in the wall. Those ones are surprising, those ones are uncharacteristic, but overall, it was a tough weekend out there for every driver.

James Hinchcliffe added

Certainly, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris do not have time to waste. With just 7 races remaining, every point counts. Piastri may have a slight lead compared to his teammate, but another DNF may shake things up completely. Norris would be hoping that he’s able to slowly chip away the points deficit in the coming races. Although there’s also the threat of Max Verstappen who has dominated the past two races.

Read More: McLaren Cites Michael Schumacher Example over Oscar Piastri’s Azerbaijan GP disaster