Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri relationship to 'fracture' as F1 title fight intensifies

Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe believes the harmonious relationship between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start to “fracture” as the season nears its end. Just seven rounds remain in the 2025 season, with Piastri leading Norris by 25 points. The pair have clashed once this year at the Canadian Grand Prix, however it was quickly brushed under the carpet as Norris instantly accepted blame. They have also complied with team orders as McLaren has highlighted its desire to treat both drivers fairly and present equal opportunities. Last time out in Baku, Piastri crashed in qualifying and the race and walked away from a race weekend with zero points for the first time this year. Hinchcliffe has suggested a change in tone will start to emerge from the McLaren camp as the title inches ever closer for the two contenders. “We’re now starting to see those two drivers really appreciating and understanding that we're on the home stretch of this season,” Hinchliffe told the F1 Nation podcast. “We’re less than a third of the way to go. A first drivers’ championship for either guy is up for grabs. “This uncharacteristically friendly title rivalry that we have going on and we've seen up to this point, I think it's going to start to fracture a little bit as the pressure really mounts.” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella stated after the race weekend that Piastri has presented himself as the most consistent driver on the grid this year. Having enjoyed a mostly error-free campaign en route to leading the standings with seven rounds to go, Hinchcliffe highlighted his surprise with Piastri's run of mistakes throughout the Baku event. “Certainly the mistakes that Oscar made [were] very uncharacteristic,” he said. “The false start was kind of the beginning of the end for him and then just frankly, miscalculating it and overcooking it into turn five, ending up in the wall. “Those ones are surprising, those ones are uncharacteristic, but overall, it was a tough weekend out there for every driver.”