‘Not a Dream Scenario’ – McLaren Star Lando Norris Discusses Intra-Team Rivalry With Oscar Piastri Ahead of 2025 Emilia Romagna GP

McLaren star Lando Norris has itted that, while he is not thrilled about being outperformed by his less-experienced teammate Oscar Piastri, he views the Australian’s dominance in a positive light.

Norris, who came second in the Drivers’ Championship in 2024, was expected to mount a title charge in 2025. The Briton started strongly, snatching the win in the 2025 Formula One season opener in Melbourne. With his victory, Norris took pole in the title race, ending Max Verstappen’s dominance.

Over the last five races, Norris’s authority has whittled away, with his teammate Piastri emerging as the man to beat this season. The Australian, who is only in his third F1 season, has won four of the last five races (Verstappen won the other), claiming the top spot in the Drivers’ Championship rankings with 131 points. Norris, who made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2019, is in second place with 115.

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McLaren Star Lando Norris Is Neither Thrilled Nor Disheartened by Oscar Piastri’s Dominance

The European triple-header begins with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on May 16, and Norris would undoubtedly be eager to recover lost ground.

Ahead of the Imola GP, Norris commented on Piastri’s winning streak.

LN4 in the 🏡#McLaren | #ImolaGP 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/7nEhaRpIR9

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 16, 2025

“It’s a good thing,” said Norris (via Formula1.com)

“It’s obviously not a dream scenario, but Oscar is doing a very good job, and I can’t fault him for that. But that’s his thing, and I’ve got to focus on myself and keep focusing on what I can do better.”

He added:

“I know there are things I’m working on to improve and to raise my level and to make sure I win some more races, so it’s a good thing. We’re learning from each other every weekend, it’s what makes us really strong.

“I push Oscar a lot, Oscar pushes me a lot, and we end up being a very strong team. For me, it’s a good thing. There’s pros and cons, I guess, but I’m happy about it.”

While the Drivers’ Championship is very much up in the air, the Constructors’ Championship is very much in McLaren’s pocket. The Papaya have amassed 246 points, already pulling 105 clear of second-placed Mercedes.