Piastri and Norris Understand Champion Is One Who Remains Composed

If it weren't already a sweltering sauna in Singapore, the increasing intensity of this year's F1 world championship would be enough to make even the toughest competitor wilt. Withstanding the stress may prove the difference between the team's Lando Norris and Piastri as the championship contest ratchets up with each grand prix.

This Title Fight Is Extremely Close

Including this weekend's meeting in Marina Bay, seven races are left and the title race is finely poised. The Australian leads his teammate by 25 points. Both are free to race each other and with Max Verstappen still a significant sixty-nine points behind, it is a head-to-head contest, with little to choose the two McLaren drivers.

Learning from Past Champions

F1's most seasoned and accomplished competitors are familiar with this situation very clearly. In 2007, when Hamilton narrowly missed securing the championship in the last grand prix at Interlagos in his first year, it showed him the distinct pressure of a title tilt.

“I remember the buildup to those events at the end and the pressure was present,” he said. “That was unnecessary. If I knew then what I know now, I would have easily won that championship, I think. I have learned not to add pressure that’s unnecessary.”

Step Into the Pressure Cooker

Step forward, the McLaren duo, to the cauldron. The advantage so far has swung between them. Lando has five wins to Piastri's seven and the duo have scarcely missed the top three in a McLaren that has been the best on the grid. The Australian has been steadier, with his teammate finding it hard to adapt to a lack of feel for grip from the front tires. Even so, they have dominated, the gap separating them often only who could perform perfectly, across Saturday sessions and the race.

Expensive Errors for Lando

In this aspect Norris has been found wanting, small errors were costly in Shanghai, especially after a disappointing Saturday in Bahrain and even more troubling when surrendering the championship lead after hitting the barriers in qualifying in Jeddah. Then, most critically, over-eager in Montreal he hit his teammate and went out, an massive blow.

Oscar's Steadiness and Small Errors

The young driver, notably in just his third year in F1, has been more at ease. For some time spinning out at the first race in the rain in Albert Park was his sole error and one which was forgivable in the sudden rain. Later, the Melbourne native was also overtaken and passed by an alert Max at Emilia-Romagna, while his mistake and sanction for “erratic braking” under the yellow flag at Silverstone cost him a probable victory.

Recent Difficulties in Azerbaijan

Yet, these were minor hiccups against something of a debacle at the last round in Baku. In Baku, Piastri crashed out in qualifying putting him ninth on the grid, only to follow it with a jump start, the car entering anti-stall and dropping him to the back of the field.

Trying to gain places on the opening lap, he misjudged the traction and finished in the barriers, an uncharacteristic sequence of mistakes that he admitted he could ill afford in Singapore.

“Azerbaijan was quite a good reminder of how rapidly things can change,” he commented. “There are takeaways about how I can handle that better and lessons on risk I guess is the most accurate description to put it. There's nothing revolutionary that needs to be altered or that I am going to adjust.”

Gaining from Past Examples

The pair are, for all their talent, still honing their abilities in F1, a journey often traveled by other drivers on the grid. The opening years of Hamilton's time in F1 were exceptional, but he also made his fair share of errors. Piastri 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 failed to properly configure the launch control on his McLaren and it went into anti-stall, dropping him to the back. Soon after, trying to regain places, he touched the rear of the Renault driver's car and had to pit with a damaged front wing. He finished 13th after a grand prix he described as “a disaster”.

Verstappen's Early Career

Similarly the Dutch driver's first years were defined by errors as he gained experience. After a expensive incident in Monte Carlo in 2018 then boss the Red Bull chief openly called for his racer to show more discipline.

Verstappen, also, took it on board, the inconsistency all but gone when he began winning championships. “This was a learning experience,” he said at the time. “In my career there have been times of personal growth and this was one more stage. Sometimes, it is not enjoyable but sometimes you require it.”

Final Thoughts

The McLaren teammates are not yet at the level of Hamilton and Verstappen so far but they are under the same pressure and absorbing the identical insights. As the legendary driver noted, the initial championship is always the hardest. Closing this championship out is the greatest test of their professional lives and will likely be decided by the one who can best handle the pressure.