Oscar Piastri & Norris Know Champion Is One Who Stays Cool

Were it not already an intense heatwave in the Marina Bay circuit, the increasing intensity of this year's F1 world championship would be enough to make all but the most stoic competitor wilt. Handling the pressure may prove the deciding factor between the team's Norris and Piastri as the championship contest intensifies with every race.

This Championship Battle Is Finely Poised

Starting with this weekend's race in Marina Bay, seven races remain and the championship is finely poised. The Australian is ahead of his teammate by twenty-five points. Each are allowed to compete each other and with Max Verstappen still a significant 69 points behind, it is a head-to-head battle, with very little separating between them.

Learning from Previous Winners

Formula One's most seasoned and successful drivers are familiar with this scenario very clearly. In 2007, when Lewis Hamilton narrowly missed securing the title in the final race at Brazil in his first year, it showed him the unique challenge of a championship fight.

“I remember the lead-up to those races at the end and the pressure was present,” he said. “That was not needed. If I knew then what I understand today, I would have easily won that title, I think. I've realized to avoid adding pressure that’s unneeded.”

Step Into the Cauldron

Welcome then, the McLaren duo, to the cauldron. The upper hand thus far has swung between them. Norris has five victories to Oscar's seven and the pair have scarcely missed the podium in a McLaren car that has been the best on the grid. Piastri has been more consistent, with his teammate finding it hard to adjust to a reduced sensation for traction from the front axle. Even so, they have dominated, the gap separating them often just who could perform flawlessly, across qualifying and the race.

Costly Mistakes for Norris

In this aspect Norris has been lacking, minor mistakes were costly in Shanghai, especially after a poor qualifying in Sakhir and even more troubling when surrendering the points advantage after crashing out in qualifying in Saudi Arabia. Then, most critically, over-eager in Montreal he hit his partner and retired, an enormous blow.

Oscar's Steadiness and Small Errors

Piastri, notably in only his third season in F1, has been more comfortable. For some time sliding off at the first race in the rain in Albert Park was his only fault and one which was excusable in the sudden rain. Later, the Australian was also overtaken and passed by an alert Verstappen at Imola, while his mistake and sanction for “unpredictable slowing” under the yellow flag at the British Grand Prix denied him a probable victory.

Recent Struggles in Baku

However, these were small issues against a major incident at the last round in Azerbaijan. In Baku, the McLaren driver hit the wall in the qualifying session leaving him ninth on the grid, only to compound it with a jump start, the car going into anti-stall mode and dropping him to the rear of the pack.

Trying to gain positions on the first lap, he misjudged the grip and finished in the wall, an uncharacteristic series of errors that he admitted he could ill afford in Singapore.

“Azerbaijan was a strong lesson of how rapidly everything can change,” he said. “There's some lessons about how I can deal with that more effectively and lessons on taking chances I suppose is the most accurate description to put it. No major changes that needs to change or that I am going to change.”

Gaining from Past Examples

Both drivers are, for all their ability, still honing their skills in F1, a path well trodden by some of their peers on the grid. The opening years of Lewis's career were exceptional, but he also committed his fair share of mistakes. The McLaren driver could learn of Bahrain in 2008, the year the multiple title winner took his first title but which was marked by other mistakes as he found himself in an close battle with his Ferrari rival.

On the starting grid in Bahrain he had not managed to correctly set the launch control on his car and it went into anti-stall, dropping him down the grid. Soon after, trying to regain places, he touched the back of the Renault driver's Renault and had to make a stop with a damaged nose. He came thirteenth after a grand prix he described as “a catastrophe”.

Max's Early Career

Similarly Verstappen's early career were marked by errors as he gained experience. After one costly crash in Monte Carlo in 2018 then boss the Red Bull chief publicly demanded his driver to show greater control.

Verstappen, also, accepted the advice, the inconsistency all but gone when he started claiming titles. “This was character-building,” he said at the time. “In my career there have been periods of personal growth and this was another step. Occasionally, it is unpleasant but at times you need it.”

Closing Observations

The McLaren teammates are not up with Hamilton and Verstappen so far but they are under the same pressure and learning the identical insights. As Niki Lauda observed, the first title is invariably the hardest. Closing this championship out is the greatest test of their careers and will likely be decided by the one who can most effectively manage the pressure.