Lando Norris issues clear Oscar Piastri relationship message: 'That's what we don't want'

Lando Norris has issued a clear message that his relationship with Oscar Piastri must not become "sour", something McLaren by all means "don't want".

It has been an extraordinary start to the season for McLaren, who not only boast a one-two in the drivers' title but a staggering 197-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors'.

Oscar Piastri has been the star of year so far and has a 10-point lead over Norris; however, the pair are yet to have their first real fight of 2025. 

McLaren has delivered both drivers a clear instruction that winning a second consecutive constructors' championship is the priority over a drivers' crown, a strategy which is working.

Norris is eager not to disappoint the Woking-based team on its target, whilst ensuring he still enjoys himself in F1.

"I think it's because I'm a great team-mate," Norris told BBC Sport. "That's not saying anything in the wrong way. 

"Even though your team-mate's always your biggest competitor, and the guy you want to beat and need to beat more than anyone, I've always wanted to have a good time, and have laughs and make jokes, and enjoy my life.

"That's what I'm here to do at the end of the day, enjoy my life. And we want to do that together.

"We are different people, different characters, but both guys who know deep down we want to beat each other. But we also want to enjoy our journey."

McLaren must avoid broken partnership

Recent history has shown that when both drivers from a team fight against each other for the title, it often results in a rapidly deteriorating relationship. 

The most recent example was Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, with Norris being eager to remain on good terms with Piastri to also support McLaren's title bid.

"I'm employed by the team, and I have to drive and race for them," Norris insisted. "As a number one, it is a constructor. That's what we have to win in the end of the season. But then there's the individual championship.

"Everyone's seen plenty of championships as team-mates turn sour and go in the wrong direction. And that normally leads to many things, like a domino effect of things starting to fail. And that's what we don't want.

"We know we still want to race. We're free to race against each other as individuals, but we also know our sole purpose is to race for McLaren, the team, the name we race under. And that's something we're both very proud of doing."

Fighting against your team-mate for the championship has "pros and cons" according to Norris, one in particular which works in both ways.

"The thing that makes it good is also the thing that makes it bad," added Norris. "Which is that you can see everything the other one is doing. You can learn from each other very easily.

"But the positive is, as a team, that brings us to performing at a very, very high level, and that's only a benefit for the team."