Former champion Jacques Villeneuve believes that Lando Norris still holds a speed advantage over Oscar Piastri, although he suggests the British driver has become overly introspective. Since the season opener in Australia, Norris has not won a race, while Piastri has claimed four victories and built a lead in the championship. Meanwhile, Norris appears to be increasingly doubting himself, particularly in the media.
In the run-up to the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri holds a sixteen-point lead over teammate Lando Norris. Even more painful is the fact that the Australian – who was somewhat considered the number two at McLaren before the season – has now won more Formula 1 Grand Prix races. Villeneuve believes that Norris is still faster than his younger teammate, although Piastri has also made strides compared to last season.
“I don’t think Oscar Piastri has gotten into Lando Norris’s head,” Villeneuve said in an interview with Vision4Sport, “I think Norris has gotten too much into his own head. Norris was the underdog in the title fight last year – he really shouldn’t have won and he really shouldn’t have been fighting for the championship. That was easy, there was no pressure then. This year, he has spent the whole winter thinking: ‘Okay, this is my big chance. It’s now or never.'”
A New Kind of Pressure
“Norris started the season with a new kind of pressure on his shoulders, and he didn’t handle it well,” concluded Villeneuve. “He is still incredibly fast, but there have been moments that have cost him dearly in the race for the title. Generally, he is faster than Alexander Albon, but he hasn’t scored the points. Norris simply makes too many small mistakes, and in a field where the margins are so small, that doesn’t cost you one position, but maybe five. That’s a lot of points.”
“As a result, Norris has always been at a disadvantage so far,” Villeneuve concluded. “With Carlos Sainz Jr, you get the feeling that he belongs at the top. He is ready for the fight. In that regard, I don’t think he has changed much. I think everything and everyone around him is just falling apart, while he has remained focused and cool. Perhaps he has taken a small step, but that small step is getting bigger with each race. If Norris takes a step back in this regard, it makes a huge difference.”
