Formula 1 2025: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on their intra-team fight, and Max Verstappen's vow amid race ban danger
As the title race heats up between the papaya pair, Norris said it was only a matter of time before the Formula 1 frontrunners clashed during a race.
Norris sits 10 points behind Piastri in the championship standings after the Australian's last-start victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in a McLaren one-two.
Piastri has won five of the opening nine races to the Brit's two as McLaren builds a two-pronged assault on the drivers' crown.
Asked ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix whether an intra-team fight was inevitable as the title race progressed throughout the season, Norris said the team was prepared for the eventuality they would have a run-in at some stage this year.
'We never said we're going to avoid everything,' Norris said as per formula1.com.
'I think we've actually been quite open in saying at some point, something is probably going to happen.
'We just have to be ready for that. Both Oscar and myself know that we're competitive, we want to beat each other but the main thing is we stay strong together as a team. But everything is in the open, everything is obvious, everything is known between us.
'We both want to win, we both want to beat each other, but at the end of the day there can only be one person (who wins the title) and that will be whoever performs the best over the course of the year.
'I think Andrea (Stella, McLaren team principal) said it, it's not an 'if', it's a 'when' and we'll see when that time comes. But, of course, we'll try and avoid everything as much as possible, but it's inevitable that it happens in racing.'
Norris, runner-up to Red Bull rival Max Verstappen in last year's championship, said Piastri had 'improved in most areas' from last season and was driving at an 'incredibly high level'.
'He's in his third season of F1, I remember in my third season you just come into the year a little bit more confident and with a bit more knowledge and just a more complete driver,' Norris said.
'That's what he's done and he's performing well, he's driving incredibly well and at a very high level and deserves everything he's been doing at the minute. It's a good fun rivalry between us.'
On his title tussle with Norris, Piastri predicted the pair's battle would continue beyond this season and maintaining a healthy working relationship would be critical.
'Clearly there's competition and there's a 'want to beat each other on track' but we've said before, we don't want just one opportunity to try and win a world championship each,' Piastri said in Montreal.
'We want this to be the case for many years to come and the best way to protect that is by having a very strong team around both of us. We're aware that whatever happens in the championship this year, or how things go, is much bigger than just this season and potentially defines our whole career.
'We're very aware of that fact, of course we still want to beat each other and win a world championship but we know that there's a bigger picture as well.'
PIASTRI PLAN
Piastri is not treating his title charge this year as 'do or die' and doesn't plan to change his approach now he's sitting at the top of the standings nearing the halfway point of the campaign.
The Aussie star has drawn widespread praise for his calm and cool demeanour on – and off – the track and the Melbourne-born racer said he had no reason to change things for the run home.
'I think for me I'm still going to race how I always race,' Piastri said as per motorsport.com.
'There's not really much more to say, I guess I'll just try and race how I always do. I think I normally try to race quite smart and keep myself out of trouble.
'A good saying is that 'It's often better to still be in the race than prove that you were right in the situation', so I'll try and keep that.
'I think for me I'm not looking at it as my one chance. Obviously I don't know that, but I don't think there's any use in putting extra pressure on yourself and thinking it's do or die.
'I'm still very early in my career and it obviously is a great opportunity, but I'll just try and win as many races as I can and hopefully it makes the championship look quite good at the end.'
VERSTAPPEN VOW
Max Verstappen has vowed not to change his approach to racing despite the cloud of an F1 race ban hanging over him, declaring 'I trust myself'.
The four-time world champion made headlines at the Spanish Grand Prix after his collision with Mercedes rival George Russell, which cost him a 10-second time penalty and dropped him from fifth to 10th in the final results.
Verstappen was also given three penalty points on his super licence, taking him to 11 – just one shy of a race ban if he transgresses again in Canada or Austria.
But the Red Bull star was adamant he would not change his driving style to ward off the risk of a race ban.
'No, nothing changed. Why should I?' Verstappen told the media in Montreal.
'It is what it is. I was on eight points before and now it's 11. I mean, I cannot just back out of everything.
'I'm just going to race like I always do. I trust myself.'
Verstappen slipped to 49 points behind championship leader Piastri in the driver standings following the race in Barcelona.
The Dutch champion added he 'didn't need to go into' the fairness of the precarious position that he found himself in.
'But at the same time, life is not fair. I don't worry about it,' Verstappen said.
'I just come here to race, and I will always race hard, how I think I should race. And then we go on to the next race.'
Reflecting on the costly incident with Russell, Verstappen said he had
'It was not the right thing to do at the time,' Verstappen said.
'It was a misjudgment, clearly, in the corner, but you don't need to go into full detail of why, how and what.
'Everyone makes mistakes in life. Everyone learns from them and we just move on.'
Russell said a race ban for Verstappen would not be 'unjust' if he triggered a suspension.
'If he gets to 12 points it (a ban) wouldn't be unjust,' Russell said as per skysports.com.
'At the end of the day, that's why the penalty points are there. If you keep driving recklessly you will accumulate points, and get punished with a race ban. You've got it in your own hands and it doesn't go without risk.
'He was trying to run me off the road. I don't think he was trying to intentionally crash into me. He wanted to just sort of scare me a bit, but he just misjudged it. Again, it wasn't going to scare me, it was just all a bit surprising.
'I'm not looking for an apology. His actions cost him and they benefited me, so I should be almost thanking him.
'Obviously I'd be feeling very differently if it took me out of the race. But it is good to see that he took accountability. I was a bit surprised about that.'
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