Lando Norris admits McLaren struggles as Oscar Piastri closes gap in championship race

Oscar Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris was the odds-on favourite to win the drivers’ title, but can’t put his finger on exactly what’s gone wrong four races into the season.

Four races into one of the most intriguing Formula One seasons in years, Australian whiz kid Oscar Piastri has got his championship rivals just where he wants them.

The first multiple race winner of 2025 after he followed up his victory at last month’s Chinese Grand Prix with an even more emphatic performance to take the checkered flag in Bahrain.

He still trails his McLaren teammate Lando Norris by three points in the championship but the Englishman is already showing signs of being rattled.

The odds-on favourite to win the drivers’ title after he won the season-opening round in Australia, Norris has admitted to having some self doubts after being beaten in each of the subsequent three races.

Lando Norris says he’s not happy with his McLaren car even though he’s leading the world championship

The problem is he can’t put his finger on exactly what’s wrong because McLaren clearly have the fastest car on the grid.

“I wish I knew the answer. I don’t have an answer,” he said.

“When you’re an athlete, when you’re a driver, whatever it is – you just know when things click, when you feel confident, when you feel comfortable.

“I’m confident that I have everything I need and I’ve got what it takes. I have no doubt about that – that I’m good enough, and all of those things. But something’s just not clicking with me and the car. I’m not able to do any of the laps like I was doing last season.

“Then, I knew every single corner, everything that was going to happen with the car – how it was going to happen. I felt on top of the car. This year, I could not have felt more opposite so far.”

Norris, who finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in the 2024 drivers’ championship, said he didn’t feel comfortable when he won at Melbourne’s Albert Park even though his McLaren was flying.

“The car was just mega and that’s helping me get out of a lot of problems at the minute. But I’m just nowhere near the capability that I have – which hurts, hurts to say,” he said.

“I spent a lot of time, even last night … looking into everything and understanding what I’m struggling with, what’s not clicking, trying to figure out what’s changed from last year to this year.

“Is it me? Is it some of the car? It’s complicated. But I’m not doubting myself, even though sometimes it may seem like that. It’s just something’s not gelling, something’s not clicking, and therefore I just don’t feel comfortable when I’m in the car. I’m confident – like I know I’ve got what it takes – but just not confident.

“And when you’re not confident in the car, to know what the limit is, what to do in the slow speed, high speed, any corner – yeah, I’m never going to be as quick as I need to be. And especially when you’re fighting the best in the world. As soon as you’re not settled, then it’s going to be an issue – and that’s what happening now.”

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have McLaren at the top of the constructors’ championship

While Norris admitted to struggling, Piastri is showing no signs of tension.

He’s always been an ice-cool customer but appears more relaxed than ever as the pressure ramps up.

“There have been times where it’s been tricky, definitely. But I would say for the most part, I’ve been pretty happy with the car, to be honest,” Piastri said.

“Clearly it’s got a lot of pace. We’ve kind of known from pre-season testing that there’s some things that we wanted to iron out, but I think we’ve done a very good job of doing that.”

While McLaren is heavily favoured to win the constructors’ title for the second year in a row, the drivers’ championship is looming as a three-way battle with Verstappen still right in the mix in his Red Bull.

Oscar Piastri had the advantage over Lando Norris in Bahrain

The Dutchman won the last race in Japan and is currently third in the standings but the early signs point to the two McLaren drivers taking it to the wire.

“It’s going to be a tight year, definitely.” Piastri said “And I think as long as we have the best car, it’s going to be tight between Lando and I.

Norris agreed the McLarens had the advantage but said it was too small for anyone to be complacent.

“We’re not forgetting that the competition is close,” he said.

“Yes, we’ve got the best car on the grid and things like this, but one mistake…

“It’s easy to not do a perfect lap and then not be on pole still. It’s not like we can just cruise around and everything’s groovy. So, we have to keep working hard.”

Originally published as Lando Norris admits McLaren struggles as Oscar Piastri closes gap in championship race