Piastri and Norris Know Champion Will Be The Driver Who Remains Composed

If it weren't already an intense heatwave in Singapore, the increasing intensity of this year's F1 world championship would be enough to make all but the most stoic driver wilt. Withstanding the stress may prove the deciding factor between McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as the championship contest ratchets up with each grand prix.

This Championship Battle Is Extremely Close

Starting with this weekend's meeting in Marina Bay, seven grands prix are left and the championship is finely poised. The Australian is ahead of his British rival by 25 points. Each are allowed to compete against one another and with Max Verstappen still a significant 69 in arrears, it is a direct battle, with very little separating the two McLaren drivers.

Learning from Past Winners

Formula One's most experienced and successful drivers are familiar with this situation all too well. In 2007, when Lewis Hamilton just failed to win winning the title in the last grand prix at Interlagos in his debut season, it showed him the distinct pressure of a title tilt.

“I recall the buildup to those events at the end and the stress was there,” he said. “That was unnecessary. Had I known then what I understand today, I would have easily won that championship, I think. I've realized not to add pressure that’s unnecessary.”

Welcome the Pressure Cooker

Step forward, the McLaren duo, to the cauldron. The upper hand so far has swung between them. Norris has five wins to Oscar's seven wins and the pair have barely been off the podium in a McLaren that has been the class of the field. Piastri has been more consistent, with his British rival struggling to adapt to a reduced sensation for grip from the front tires. Even so, they have dominated, the gap separating them often only who could perform flawlessly, across Saturday sessions and the grand prix.

Costly Errors for Lando

In this regard the British driver has been found wanting, minor mistakes were costly in Shanghai, especially after a disappointing Saturday in Bahrain and worse still when losing the points advantage after crashing out in qualifying in Saudi Arabia. Then, most critically, over-eager in Canada he hit his partner and retired, an massive blow.

Oscar's Consistency and Small Errors

The young driver, especially in just his third year in Formula One, has been more comfortable. For some time sliding off at the first race in the rain in Melbourne was his sole error and one which was excusable in the unexpected downpour. Subsequently, the Australian was also overtaken and passed by an opportunistic Max at Emilia-Romagna, while his misjudgment and penalty for “erratic braking” under the yellow flag at the British Grand Prix cost him a likely win.

Recent Difficulties in Azerbaijan

However, these were small issues against a major incident at the previous race in Baku. In Azerbaijan, the McLaren driver hit the wall in qualifying putting him in ninth position, only to follow it with a jump start, the car going into anti-stall and sending him to the rear of the pack.

Trying to gain positions on the opening lap, he misjudged the grip and ended in the wall, an unusual sequence of errors that he admitted he could ill afford in this weekend's race.

“Azerbaijan was quite a good reminder of how rapidly everything can turn around,” he said. “There are takeaways about how I can deal with that more effectively and lessons on risk I suppose is the best way to describe it. No major changes that require to change or that I am going to adjust.”

Learning from History

Both drivers are, for all their talent, still honing their abilities in Formula One, a journey well trodden by other drivers on the grid. The opening years of Hamilton's career were exceptional, but he also committed his share of mistakes. Piastri could take note of Bahrain in 2008, the year the multiple title winner took his first title but which was characterized by other mistakes as he found himself in an intense fight with Felipe Massa.

On the starting grid in Manama he had failed to properly configure the launch control on his car and it went into anti-stall, dropping him down the grid. Shortly afterwards, chasing positions, he clipped the back of the Renault driver's Renault and had to make a stop with a damaged nose. He finished 13th after a race he described as “a catastrophe”.

Verstappen's Early Career

In the same way Verstappen's first years were marked by misjudgments as he learned his craft. After one costly crash in Monaco in 2018 then team principal the Red Bull chief publicly demanded his racer to show more discipline.

Verstappen, also, took it on board, the inconsistency almost entirely eliminated when he started claiming titles. “This has just been character-building,” he said at the time. “Throughout my life there have been times of character-building and this was one more stage. Sometimes, it is not enjoyable but sometimes you need it.”

Closing Thoughts

The McLaren teammates are not up with the multiple champions yet but they are facing the same pressure and absorbing the same lessons. As Niki Lauda observed, the first title is always the most difficult. Securing this one out is the greatest test of their professional lives and will likely be decided by the driver who can most effectively manage the pressure.