FORMULA ONE championship leader Oscar Piastri conceded on Thursday that the title battle has effectively narrowed to a duel between himself and McLaren teammate Lando Norris. The Australian holds a 16-point advantage over Norris heading into this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the sport’s summer break.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, a four-time champion, sits third in the standings, a daunting 81 points behind Piastri with 11 races remaining. Given McLaren’s recent dominance, the gap appears increasingly difficult to bridge. “I suppose so,“ Piastri said when asked if the title fight was now a two-driver contest.
While McLaren officials previously dismissed early talk of supremacy, recent results make it hard to ignore. “Every weekend now, or the last few weekends anyway, it has been Lando and I,“ Piastri noted. “I expect our competition to still be strong and put up a good fight, especially at certain tracks through the rest of the year.”
Piastri, who secured his maiden F1 victory at the Hungaroring last year, remains focused on extending his lead. “I’m just trying to win each race and extend the lead,“ he said. “Whether that comes from Max or Ferrari or Mercedes or someone else, we never really know.”
McLaren’s dominance is evident with six one-two finishes in 13 races. Piastri has six wins this season, while Norris has four. Verstappen, by contrast, has only two victories. The team has amassed 516 points, a staggering 268-point lead over second-placed Ferrari.
Piastri expressed confidence in maintaining his form. “Hungary has been historically a good track for us as a team,“ he said. “I expect us to be strong again this weekend.” The 24-year-old remains self-assured but acknowledges the challenge ahead. “I’m confident that I can do it, but it’s not going to be easy.” - Reuters
