Before the Formula 1 season from 2025, many of the British bookmakers were made to install Lando Norris as a favorite title during the four -time ruling world champion Max Verstappen.
While Norris discussed his newly discovered state in pre -season interviews, his teammate McLaren Oscar Piastri quietly insisted on preparing for his own title challenge and ignoring the fact that Bookies left him as a relative outsider, for Ferrari Charles Lecler and Lewis Hamilton.
But now, with only four of the 24 laps of the season and despite Piastriho, who watched Norris three points on the top of the driver ranking, Australian usurp his teammate as a favorite.
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Most important from 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix from the international circuit Bahrain
Although it is far from certain that the race of two horses between McLarens, with George Russell Red Bull and Mercedes George Russell, will be very much at a significant distance, the rapid rolling of the perception of the best two is undoubtedly fascinating.
Before this weekend Saudi Arab Grand Prix, Sky Sports Analyze how Norris has moved so quickly that he was perceived as McLaren’s main hope, to Underdog in his own team.
Can Norris manage pressure?
There was never doubt whether Norris had speed to become a world champion. While he – along with the rest of the grid – does not have to be at the same level as Verstappen, the British last year proved to be persecuted by the Dutch that he could dominate races when he has the fastest car.
However, the fact that he also could not win several races 2024, where it seemed to have had an advantage, left questions about his tendency to get in his own way. The surrender at the beginning of the races was a recurring question, while Norris also publicly expressed doubts and on several occasions he admitted the inferiority of Verstappen.
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Lando Norris made several bad races during the 2024 season
We hope that Norrisa would prepare the first experience of constant struggle on the front in 2025, and the first grades were excellent when he took the pole on the opening of the season in Australia and then overcome the very challenging conditions to win the race.
Interesting comments came from Russell to this victory because he suggested that McLaren had more advantage than Red Bull during his historically dominant campaign 2023.
It was also evident that Russell repeatedly commented on Norris about his position so popular, as they crossed the trips during the press conferences and around the Paddock, while the McLaren driver began to appear irritated by his long -term competing Jib.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris ensures its first victory of the season at the Australian Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen and George Russell completed the stages in places
Norris has behaved in China and only claimed a point in the sprint before he had to settle for the other for the Piastri in the race. In the next round in Japan he improved his teammate, but this time he was second behind Verstappen when the Red Bull driver caused upset by defeating McLarens.
Verstappen then said that if he was in McLaren, he would ensure a comfortable victory in Suzuce and then doubled his comments before the Bahrain race. Norris felt the need to answer Verstappen’s demands before he turned in another bad performance when he qualified sixth before he was in third place in the race.
After the qualification of Norris, he said he felt “clueless” and “as if I had never led the Formula 1 car before”. Only Norris knows how big his opponents’ comments have, but there is no doubt that they repeatedly try to increase the pressure on it.
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Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle, Naomi Schiff and Simon Lazenby discusses whether Max Verstappen would dominate if he managed McLaren.
What Norris says is a problem
Despite the acceptance that it is the fastest car on the grid, Norris suggests imperfections and dissatisfaction with the performance of his McLaren since the opening weekend of the season.
He went one step further after Piastri was completely overcome in Bahrain, revealing that he “did not click” with the car and therefore produces “nowhere near the ability I have”.
Norris said, “I can’t make any of the bikes like I did last season. I knew every corner, everything that would happen to the car as it happened. I felt on the vehicle.
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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri give different opinions on how the Bahrain Grand Prix went for McLaren
“This year I could not feel the opposite yet. Even in Australia, whether I won the race, I never felt confident.
“The car was just mega and it helps me get out of many problems in a minute. I’m just nowhere near the ability I have, which hurts to say.
“I’m sure – like I know I have what it means … When you’re not sure in the car, know what is the limit, what to do at slow speed, high speed, in every corner – yeah, I will never be as fast as I have to be.”
It is clear that Norris sees his inability in the early season due to his relationship with MCL39, but his choice is so open about his fighting is certainly unorthodox.
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Desperate Lando Norris felt that after qualifying the sixth for the Bahrain general practitioner in McLaren just wasn’t just fast enough
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle said in Bahrain, “You have to remember that when we are all disappointed with things that happen in our lives, we don’t have a camera and millions of people watching us at the moment.
“I think he’s also trying to handle such pressure, so maybe he won’t get so much chopstick because he says he’s garbage. But using words like cllueless, leads for the good world championships, so he’s obviously not clueless. It’s one of the best in the world right now.
“The problem with this strategy is that it feeds your opponents. Piastri and Leclerc and Verstappen have to look at it and think,” Lords, somewhere we can get into is a gentle lower abdomen. “
Piastri progress exceeds expectations
Perhaps the biggest problem of all for Norris is Piastriho’s progress, which seems to have taken another significant step forward in the early stages of his third season F1.
Norris dominated Piastri last season in qualifying with 21-3 heads to his head, but this time it is 2-2 after four races and Australian came to the top in China Sprint qualification. Norris seemed to have the advantage of the racing test in 2024, but this time it was not a hint.
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Karun Chandhok is in the sky to talk to us through the field Oscar Piastriho on the Bahrain Grand Prix
In fact, Piastri put more pressure on Norrisa when he was behind him in Australia and Japan than the British when he followed in China. On Sunday in Bahrain he comfortably won in Shanghai and in a dominant way in Bahrain, when he became the first driver to demand two victories this season.
The only niche so far from Piastri was the spin in the rain in Melbourne, which cost him what looked like at least second place in his home race, but his impressive reaction to what became the ninth placement he deleted most of the deficit he created.
McLaren’s director Andrea Stello after the Bahrain race was remarkable because their car seemed to be more favorable for Piastri’s management than Norris.
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The McLaren driver Oscar Piastri ran on the grass and left him to re -join the last place!
Stella said, “We know we have made several changes in the car, which made Lando’s life a little more difficult. We know technically what it is; Lando adapts to it, it could potentially play a little more on Oscar’s hands and work to repair.”
Despite this McLaren return, this year he made a car that – at least at this point of the season – is obviously faster than the rest of the field. If Piastri can claim a dominant victory, such as the one he has released in Bahrain, Stella will certainly not try to change MCL39 too much.
Regardless of the characteristics of cars, Piastri seems to have improved both at its disposable speed and tire control during the races, which were two key areas that needed to increase.
“Piastri do not confuse or bother”
While some doubted the speed of Piastri, Australian has shown a remarkable level of peace since its debut in 2023.
There is a huge contrast between McLaren drivers walking in their business, while Piastri gives the media little away regardless of its performance.
While Norris’s approach is undoubtedly more fun and useful for journalists, Piastri seems to be able to go through a racing weekend with much less stress than his teammate.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects on all the big points of speaking from the Bahrain Grand Prix
Before the Sunday race in Bahrain, Martin Brundle said: “Piastri has speed, has talent and of course there is more and more experience, more and more comfortable with the McLaren team.
“This week I spent a little time with him and there, and he is as horizontal in his life as he is on the racetrack, and that the peace of mind will pay off dividends in days like today at the pole.
“I don’t think it is gradually or annoyed by something, and the mental power will pass through this season.”
As Brundle’s words suggest, it is unlikely to turn into the approach or behavior of Piastri as a result of its newly discovered state.
While Norris insists that his problem is with a car, it will be fascinating to find out whether it happens that this weekend will become a loser – although marginal – free to rediscover his best form in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arab GP data, British start time and Sky Sports F1’s Live Schedule – Practice, Qualification and Race
Thursday 17th April
- 16:00: Driver’s press conference
Friday 18th April
- 10.50: 00: Practice F2
- 12:00: Practice Academy F1
- 14:00: Saudi Arabic practice GP One (session starts at 14:30)
- 15:55: F2 qualification
- 16:40: Team boss’s press conference
- 17:45: Saudi Arab practical practice two (session starts at 18:00)
- 19:25: Qualification of the Academy F1
- 8.10pm: Show F1
Saturday April 19
- 13:15: F1 Academy Race 1
- 14:50: Saudi Arabic practice GP three (session starts at 14:30)*
- 16:10: F2 Sprint
- 17:10: Saudi Arab GP qualification
- 18:00: Qualification of Saudi Arab GP
Sunday 20th April
- 13:00: F1 Academy Race 2
- 2,20pm: Feature Feature Feature Feature
- 16:30: Saudi Arabic practical authority: Sunday Grand Prix
- 18:00: Saudi Arabic Grand Prize*
- 20:00: Saudi Arab GP Reaction: Chessboard
*Live also at the main Sky Sports event
Formula 1 completes its first triple header from 2025 in Jeddah with Saudi Arab Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract whenever cancel
